Opposites attract at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans

AVONDALE, La. -- They say opposites attract. Apparently, that applies to golf, too – at least this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Keith Mitchell and Sungjae Im’s differences are easy to spot. Roughly 7000 miles separate Mitchell’s hometown, Chattanooga, Tennessee, from Im’s, Cheongju, South Korea. Then there’s the language barrier – Im’s English is improving, but a work in progress. Mitchell’s knowledge of Korean is practically non-existent.

That didn't deter the two from teaming up. Or from carding an opening round 10-under 62 on Thursday. They sit one shot back of leaders Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler.

“We had a great time,” Mitchell said. “He hit a bunch of laser beams and smiled, and I just tried to help when I could.”

While it seems like a team created out of left field, the idea has been on Mitchell’s mind since he first paired with Im back at the 2019 Honda Classic, Mitchell’s only PGA TOUR win. Mitchell was so impressed with Im that he asked him to team up for the Zurich Classic later that year. Im, then a PGA TOUR rookie, had already committed to play with Whee Kim. Mitchell figured it was Im’s polite way of saying he wasn’t interested.

That remained his assumption until about a month ago when Im had his agent reach out to Mitchell to ask if he was interested in teaming up for the week. It was not on Mitchell’s schedule, but that quickly changed.

“When you have the opportunity to play with such a superstar, you say yes,” said Mitchell, who wasn’t shy with his praise. “I’ve always been his best friend. I just wanted him to like me back.”

Through 18 holes, Mitchell shouldn’t have to worry about that much longer. The two exchanged plenty of non-verbal cues and celebrations as they amassed nine birdies and an eagle between them. Im, 25, held his own during golf conversations in English, it was all the other important conversations that Mitchell, 31, had to lend a hand.

“I taught him about Georgia football,” said Mitchell, a proud alum. “Aren't you a Georgia fan now?”

“Georgia fan, Bulldogs,” Im responded with a smile.

That included a rundown on how to say “offense,” “defense,” and “quarterback” in English. Meanwhile, Im taught Mitchell how to say “team captain” in Korean.

“Because he's my team captain,” Mitchell said.

Still left on Mitchell’s to-do list is convincing Im to join him for a Georgia Bulldogs football game this fall.

“He plays golf every week,” Mitchell said. “I don't think he has time.”

The Fitzpatrick brothers – Matt and Alex – looked like they had spent their entire lives playing together as a team, though they insist this event is the first time, as they picked each other up at just the right times to card a 62, one shot off the lead.

They’ll lead you to believe they’re quite opposite as well. OK, maybe not as contrasting as Mitchell and Im. But to them, their last name is where many of the similarities stop.

“I think we're polar opposites I would say,” Matt said earlier this week at TPC Louisiana. “I'm organized, he's unorganized. He's happy, I'm miserable. Yeah, that's probably a good way to put it."

Anything to add, Alex?

“No, he's spot on there."

Their golf was, at times, polar opposites Thursday. But it was to their benefit. In Four-balls, only the best score from each hole counts. And when one of them struggled, the other was quick to respond. Matt, 28, buoyed the team through their front nine, which started on the 10th hole. He birdied 11, 13 and 15 while Alex, 24, ironed out some issues with his ball striking. The younger, less proven Alex carried the Fitzpatrick duo into the clubhouse, though, carding four birdies, including three in a row on Nos. 4-6.

Asked if the brothers happened to “ham and egg” it during Thursday’s opening round, a call back to earlier in the week when Alex used the phrase, much to Matt’s chagrin, the older brother quickly interjected.

“I hate that phrase,” Matt. “Ham and egg is so American, and we're from England.”

Matt said.

Good to know the needling between brothers is alive and well.

“We dovetailed,” Alex quipped. “… I should probably stop saying ham and egg if I'm from England, so yeah, we'll go with dovetail tomorrow.”

The storylines of Mitchell and Im and the Fitzpatrick brothers fittingly capture the unique charm of the Zurich Classic, the lone two-man team event of the year, where brothers and fledging friends alike tee it up.