Keith Mitchell raised eyebrows at the Sony Open with a bold decision that quickly became a talking point across the PGA Tour. The move didn’t go unnoticed, drawing a pointed reaction from a fellow tour pro and sparking fresh discussion around strategy and risk at the elite level.

Michael S. Kim, a two-time PGA Tour winner, dissected Mitchell’s unconventional escape from the 15th hole at Waialae Country Club on social media.

“No chance he could have kept it on the green if he landed it up top,” Kim wrote on X. “Didn’t want to go long as the bunker shot would have been tougher. Tried to roll it thru but not sure if putter would get it out of the hole. Still slightly confused on club choice, but idk what to do either 😂😅.”

The PGA Tour’s official account amplified the moment with a simple caption, “What just happened 🤔.” Mitchell faced a plugged lie in the greenside bunker on the par-5 15th during Saturday’s third round. Well, the normal play was to open the face and splash it out, but this could have put the ball on a higher part of the green, where it would have rolled off the back. Going long meant the bunker shot on the way back would be even harder.

So Mitchell called an audible, which worked out in his favor.

He put his wedge almost straight up and down, using it more like a chipper than a regular sand club. This made the ball pop out with very little height and a lot of roll. The shot stayed low, rolled through the fringe, and gave him a real chance to save par. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. This is the kind of creativity that sets apart tour players who can get through tough situations from those who make big numbers.

After shooting 3-under in his last round, Mitchell ended up tied for 66th place in the tournament at 1-under par. PGA Tour stats show that Mitchell has been improving at Waialae over the past few years.

At the Sony Open, his record shows steady participation but mixed results. He’s finished T30 in both 2024 and 2025 at 9-under, missed the cut in 2023, and posted his best result in 2022 with a T7 finish at 17-under.

It’s not the first time Keith Mitchell has shown a talent for the unusual. He has a history of playing unusual shots at the course.

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Keith Mitchell’s unusual shot instances

Remember 2025 at the Houston Open, where he did a “Thai spinner” from a greenside bunker. This was a rare shot in which the club went directly under the ball to make a low-trajectory, high-roll shot.

Golf instruction analysts called it one of the more unique bunker escapes of the season, showcasing Mitchell’s willingness to think outside the box when trouble strikes.

But the 34-year-old’s creative shot-making has a counterpart, and that is his viral frustrations. At the 2023 Players Championship, he hit his tee shot into the water on a par-4 just as the weather horn sounded. His reaction was immediate, slamming his driver into the turf at the perfect moment, creating one of the most memorable meltdowns in recent tour history.

The moment captured the fine line tour pros walk between composure and combustion. Golf Digest noted the incident became “instant social media gold,” with fans debating whether Keith Mitchell knew the horn was about to blow. He later laughed it off, but the clip remains a staple in golf blooper compilations.

These moments, both the creative escapes and emotional eruptions, define the golfer’s tour persona. He’s not the player who always does things by the book. He takes risks, and that unpredictability makes everyone notice, even when he’s not in contention.