It looked like 47th Honda Classic was headed for a playoff, but Keith Mitchell had other ideas.
The 27-year-old Mitchell sank a 16-foot birdie putt on the final hole to cap a 3-under-par 67 and claim his first professional victory by one stroke over fourth-ranked Brooks Koepka and ninth-ranked Rickie Fowler on the Champion Course at PGA National Golf Club www.pgaresort.com in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
“I just tried to focus on what was going on,” said Mitchell, whose best previous finish on the PGA Tour was second the 2018 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship. “My mind started to wander, so I just tried to focus on the speed, the read and making the putt. My hands were shaking, but it went in, so it’s awesome.
“I have the experience, and I’ve been close a lot, but just let my emotions take over. But when I made bogeys on the first two holes, I was determined not to let that happen again. I played great down the stretch.
“Brooks and Rickie have done great things and it’s awesome just to have my name up there next to theirs.”
Mitchell, who played college golf at Georgia, birdied four of the last seven holes to finish at 9-under 217.
Koepka, the reigning PGA Tour player of the year who won two majors last year, birdied two of the last three holes for a 66, while Fowler, who won the Waste Management Phoenix Open last month, birdied three of the last four and finished at 67.
Both were waiting in the clubhouse for a possible playoff when Mitchell slammed the door.
Ryan Palmer collected six birdies on the front nine to shoot 63 early in the day and finished two shots back in a tie for fourth with Lucas Glover, who had a 66, while 56-year-old Vijay Singh of Fiji was one more back in solo sixth after a 70.
Rookie Wyndham Clark, the 54-hole leader, closed with a 72, and wound up four shots behind in a tie for seventh with Kyoung-Hoon Lee of South Korea, who had a 71, while Jim Furyk shot 67 and was five back in a tie for ninth with Jason Kokrak, who finished at 68, and Sergio Garcia of Spain, who came in at 69.
Third-ranked Justin Thomas, the defending champion who sustained a right arm injury in the first round, totaled 71 and tied for 30th.
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