Keith Mitchell is one of the first-round co-leaders of the Valspar Championship, posting a four-under 67 at Innisbrook Resort's challenging Copperhead course Thursday morning. What makes his performance noteworthy isn't just the quality of his play but the psychological fuel driving it. Mitchell had the 54-hole lead at last year's Valspar Championship but crumbled on Sunday, shooting a final-round 77 that dropped him to a disappointing T-17 finish. When a reporter probed how he had processed last year's defeat, Mitchell's response revealed volumes about the mental gymnastics golfers must use to continue. Despite having carved out a comfortable living across eight years on tour, Mitchell's career trophy case remains sparse, just one victory in 195 professional starts. In a sport where even the best players might only get a handful of legitimate Sunday opportunities each season, last year's squandered chance at Valspar represents the kind of pivotal moment that can haunt a career. Mitchell seems to recognize that, which is why he isn’t trying to forget the pain but hold on to it. “I didn't. I still think about it,” Mitchell explained. “It's still definitely in the back of my mind and I want it to stay there for hopefully for the rest of my career to just motivate me to remember what it feels like when you let those kind of nerves get in your way. Around a round like today feels like the opposite of that. “So, processing it, I guess, is something that I want to keep to always have it in the memory banks, like this is what not to do. You look at a lot of guys in their career, everybody has a few of those and that was mine.” Mitchell's battle this week extends beyond last year's Valspar collapse. His 2025 season has been a frustrating exercise, marked by consistent goodness rather than excellence. Fresh off a missed cut at the Players Championship, Mitchell has managed to make the weekend in five other tournaments this year without once inserting himself into serious contention. According to Mitchell himself, the greatest obstacle hasn't been technical flaws in his swing or physical limitations, but rather the invisible barriers he's constructed in his own mind. “Yeah, I did a little bit of a setup change and mentally I just tried to shed everything,” Mitchell said about what he’s trying to do differently. “I just felt like I was thinking a lot, trying to think about what I was thinking about and trying to just be as precise as possible mentally and that was just really getting in the way. So I just tried to drop everything, shed it, and just try to go play golf. It worked today. It's hard to do. I was pleased with how I did it today, so hopefully I can keep doing it.” As his media session drew to a close, Mitchell faced a lighthearted question about his alma mater Georgia's prospects in the NCAA basketball tournament that begins this weekend. His response, however, revealed a competitor determined to rewrite his narrative. "One game at a time,” Mitchell replied. “Just like one round at a time this week.”

Keith Mitchell was asked how he processed blowing a tournament. His answer did not disappoint

As his media session drew to a close, Mitchell faced a lighthearted question about his alma mater Georgia’s prospects in the NCAA basketball tournament that begins this weekend. His response, however, revealed a competitor determined to rewrite his narrative. “One game at a time,” Mitchell replied. “Just like one round at a time this week.” […]

As his media session drew to a close, Mitchell faced a lighthearted question about his alma mater Georgia’s prospects in the NCAA basketball tournament that begins this weekend. His response, however, revealed a competitor determined to rewrite his narrative. “One game at a time,” Mitchell replied. “Just like one round at a time this week.”

Keith Mitchell is one of the first-round co-leaders of the Valspar Championship, posting a four-under 67 at Innisbrook Resort’s challenging Copperhead course Thursday morning. What makes his performance noteworthy isn’t just the quality of his play but the psychological fuel driving it.

Mitchell seems to recognize that, which is why he isn’t trying to forget the pain but hold on to it.

“I didn’t. I still think about it,” Mitchell explained. “It’s still definitely in the back of my mind and I want it to stay there for hopefully for the rest of my career to just motivate me to remember what it feels like when you let those kind of nerves get in your way. Around a round like today feels like the opposite of that.

Mitchell’s battle this week extends beyond last year’s Valspar collapse. His 2025 season has been a frustrating exercise, marked by consistent goodness rather than excellence. Fresh off a missed cut at the Players Championship, Mitchell has managed to make the weekend in five other tournaments this year without once inserting himself into serious contention. According to Mitchell himself, the greatest obstacle hasn’t been technical flaws in his swing or physical limitations, but rather the invisible barriers he’s constructed in his own mind.

“Yeah, I did a little bit of a setup change and mentally I just tried to shed everything,” Mitchell said about what he’s trying to do differently. “I just felt like I was thinking a lot, trying to think about what I was thinking about and trying to just be as precise as possible mentally and that was just really getting in the way. So I just tried to drop everything, shed it, and just try to go play golf. It worked today. It’s hard to do. I was pleased with how I did it today, so hopefully I can keep doing it.”

Mitchell had the 54-hole lead at last year’s Valspar Championship but crumbled on Sunday, shooting a final-round 77 that dropped him to a disappointing T-17 finish. When a reporter probed how he had processed last year’s defeat, Mitchell’s response revealed volumes about the mental gymnastics golfers must use to continue. Despite having carved out a comfortable living across eight years on tour, Mitchell’s career trophy case remains sparse, just one victory in 195 professional starts. In a sport where even the best players might only get a handful of legitimate Sunday opportunities each season, last year’s squandered chance at Valspar represents the kind of pivotal moment that can haunt a career.

“So, processing it, I guess, is something that I want to keep to always have it in the memory banks, like this is what not to do. You look at a lot of guys in their career, everybody has a few of those and that was mine.”

Keith Mitchell was asked how he processed blowing a tournament. His answer did not disappoint

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