Keith Mitchell of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 09, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Keith Mitchell summed up what it feels like to be on the outside looking in on the playoff picture this week at the Wyndham Championship.
“It’s all or nothing really,” said Mitchell, who entered the week at No. 78 and is seeking to extend a six-year FedExCup playoffs streak. “I’m kind of playing from behind and it’s no fun to do that, you’ve just got to kind of dig deep and do the best you can.”
He did just that on Saturday, shooting 64 to improve to 6 under (T-19) and keep his hopes alive. He needs a two-way tie for seventh at minimum. When asked if he feels a bit like a football team down four with two minutes to go in the game, he said, “We might be down nine, I might need to throw — go for two and kick a field goal, you never know.”
Davis Riley, who is projected at No. 72, shot a solid 66 to take care of the first part of the puzzle and make the cut.
“For sure, it’s a big round,” he said. “It’s very hot out here and it was honestly one of the toughest rounds of golf I’ve played. I’ve been a little bit under the weather the last couple days and I was grinding out there. Yeah, so I’m exhausted. To play the weekend and hopefully put together a playoff berth would be big time.”
Another player who came up clutch was Seamus Power. He stuck his second shot at his last hole to 3 feet and made birdie to make the weekend on the number and head into the final two rounds as the Bubble Boy.
Victor Perez (T26/-5) is the only player projected to fall out of the top 70 (70 to 71). Among those assured of missing the cut are Nos. 72-77 entering the week, who are all finished with the second round at 3-under or worse: Andrew Putnam; Kurt Kitayama; Luke List; defending champion Lucas Glover; Lee Hodges; and Adam Schenk).
