FedExCup update: Keith Mitchell makes move after brilliant birdie run

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – If you want to ask Keith Mitchell what it feels like to make six straight birdies in a PGA TOUR tournament – as he did in Friday’s second round of THE NORTHERN TRUST at Liberty National Golf Club – take note that he’s a veritable expert on the subject.

A month ago, he started the third round of the 3M Open with seven consecutive birdies.

“Today was a little different than (3M),” said Mitchell. “But, still, when you get on a roll, you get on a roll.”

Given that we live in a here and now world, the birdies Mitchell made at Nos. 12 through 17 while playing Liberty National’s inward nine first might be seen by some as crucial. After all, it’s a Playoff and by shooting 7-under 64 to push to 10-under and within two of the lead, there is a “projected” spotlight on Mitchell that is most favorable – he’d move from 101st in the FedExCup standings to 37th.

That would be good enough to be top 70 and move on to the BMW Championship, but Mitchell smiled. He knows there are 36 more holes to play here and, besides, he’s not quite ready to say six straight birdies in a Playoff – even if they help move you into another week – were more significant than the seven in a row at the 3M.

“They are always good timing. Doesn’t matter when they happen. But if not for those (seven straight) at the 3M, I’d probably have to finish even better (than top 10) this week.”

Spoken like a man who has studied his FEC manual, because if you go back to the 3M, Mitchell was tied for 45th through two rounds. By starting Round 3 with seven straight birdies he ignited a weekend in which he pushed into a share of fifth place, good for 110 FedExCup points.

He’d be a lot lower than 101st without those points, that’s for sure.

Mitchell needs a similar finish this week to keep his 2020-21 season alive, but he knows he can’t rest on those six straight, which came in all shapes and sizes, by the way. He made a 25-footer from the fringe at the par-4 15th and concedes he made one almost by accident at the short, 303-yard par-4 16th.

Lodged in deep rough short left of the green, “I was trying to hit it 15, 20 feet” and accept a two-putt par. Instead, “it came out like I wanted it to” and he made a 5-footer for birdie No. 5 in a row. At 17, he drove it beautifully, hit a wedge to 12 feet and made that, too.

“Today was definitely a little different, but I’m going to need a lot more just to keep going to next week.”

We’re pretty sure he doesn’t mean they have to all be in a row.

NOTES: Dustin Johnson will not have a chance to win THE NORTHERN TRUST for a fourth time – at least not this week. He shot 70-72 and missed the cut. His Playoffs will move on to next week’s BMW Championship, however . . . . . Collin Morikawa will not be No. 1 in the FEC standings after shooting 74-70 to miss a cut in an individual tournament for the first time since beginning the 2020-21 season last October with early exits at the U.S. Open and Shriners (he also missed a cut at Zurich, but that was a team event. Morikawa is presently projected to fall to 7th in the FEC standings . . . . . Spirited stuff by Rory McIlroy. He made a triple-bogey at his second hole, the par-3 11th, and was 2-over for the tournament when he birdied three straight holes on his back nine to make the cut on the number, 1-under . . . . . There were only seven over-par scores, but one of them belonged to Adam Scott, who followed a 67 with a 75 to finish level par and miss the cut to end his season . . . . . Having started the week 71th in the FEC standings, Bubba Watson’s season also ended as he shot 71-72 to miss the cut . . . . . Phil Mickelson missed the cut and is currently projected to be just inside the top 70 (67th, to be exact).

MOVING IN
Keith Mitchell: 101st to 37th
Harold Varner III: 72nd to 44th
Alex Noren: 91st to 52nd
Tom Hoge: 108th to 62nd
Erik van Rooyen: 76th to 65th
Seamus Power: 73rd to 69th

MOVING OUT
Matt Fitzpatrick 60th to 72nd
Tyrrell Hatton: 63rd to 73rd
Taylor Gooch: 64th to 71st
Martin Laird 65th to 74th
Troy Merritt: 69th to 77th
J.T. Poston: 70th to 78th