Keith Mitchell loves Bermuda, and we’re not talking about the island.
Mitchell (pictured), who missed the cut in all three events he played on poa annua greens on the West Coast Swing, shot 4-under-par 66 and is tied for the lead with Sungjae Im of South Korea after two rounds of the 47th Honda Classic on the Champion Course at PGA National Golf Club www.pgaresort.com in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
“It’s definitely the grass,” said Mitchell, mad all 18 putts he took inside 18 feet in the second round. “It’s Bermuda. I grew up on Bermuda. I know how to putt it. I know how to read it. It’s definitely helped a lot. I just have a tough time reading poa annua greens, and here in Florida, it’s just a lot better for me.
“I knew I was making strides putting. Once I got back to Bermuda, I knew I was a little bit more comfortable. My ball-striking has been above average on the West Coast, but my scores aren’t there. … I’ve just got to get better on the West Coast and poa annua.
“I’m playing every Bermuda event we’ve got this year.”
The 27-year-old Mitchell, whose best finish on the PGA Tour was second in the 2018 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, played his last 10 holes of round two in a bogey-free 3-under and posted a 36-hole score of 6-under 134.
Im, 20, who won twice last season on the Web.com Tour to earn Player of the Year honors, followed an opening 70 with four birdies in the first eight holes on his way to a 64 that equaled the low score of the day.
“I was hitting the ball really well today, so all my putts were under 10 feet,” said Im, who had a 6:45 a.m. tee time and needed only 25 putts.
Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, shot 69 and is one stroke back in solo third, while fourth-ranked Brooks Koepka, a Palm Beach native, also totaled and is another shot behind in a huge tie for fourth with Adam Svensson (64) of Canada, Freddie Jacobson (67) of Sweden), Sung Kang (68) of South Korea, Danny Lee (67) of New Zealand, Ryan Armour (68), Kyoung-Hoon Lee (69) of South Korea, Wyndham Clark (67) and Adam Schenk (69).
Ninth-ranked Rickie Fowler of Murrieta is tied for 32nd after a 72, and third-ranked Justin Thomas, the defending champion, struggled to a 74 with battling a right arm injury he sustained in round one, but made the cut on the number in a tie for 67th.
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, who missed the cut in all three events he played on poa annua greens on the West Coast Swing, shot 4-under-par 66 and is tied for the lead with Sungjae Im of South Korea after two rounds of the 47th Honda Classic on the Champion Course at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.){kind=link}