If you’re having trouble understanding the situation Keith Mitchell was in Saturday during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open, we don’t blame you.
Let’s start with how Mitchell played this week. Unfortunately for the veteran pro from Tennessee, things didn’t go well. Mitchell posted back-to-back rounds of 71 at Torrey Pines, missing the midway cut by just one stroke.
With the Farmers Insurance Open starting on Wednesday and the cut coming on Thursday instead of Friday, Mitchell found himself with some extra time before the season’s second Signature event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, got underway on Thursday.
Despite not finishing in the top 50 of last season’s FedEx Cup standings, Mitchell was slated to be in the field at Pebble, as the tournament requires an 80-man field. The Pebble event is the only Signature event that has a maximum 80-man field, due to the pro-am portion of the tournament. It’s also the only Signature event with an alternate list.
According to Jim Nantz on the Farmers final round CBS broadcast, Mitchell decided to make use of the extra time by heading to Pebble early and checking into his rental house.
Getting to spend extra time at Pebble Beach? These Tour pros really do have a rough life, don’t they?
Well, it wasn’t as simple as it sounds. Mitchell’s place in the field was in a rather precarious position.
The PGA Tour uses this year’s priority ranking (last year’s FedEx Cup Fall standings) to fill out the remainder of the field, with different eligibility categories for Signature events. This includes the number of tournament winners and players in the top 30 of the Official World Ranking who would not otherwise qualify. As a result, it’s uncertain how many players would be needed to fill the field.
Mitchell found himself in the 69th spot on the priority ranking list.
A Crucial Twist
Here’s where things get interesting. After finishing T3 last week at the American Express, Justin Thomas moved up to 5th on the Aon Swing 5 list, which awards the top five FedEx Cup point earners in the full-field events preceding the Siggys spots into them. However, Thomas also dropped to No. 23 in the world rankings, virtually guaranteeing his spot in the top 30 and earning him a place at Pebble. As a result, Thomas withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open.
In the likely event that Thomas was bumped out of the Swing 5, it would mean one less player was needed from the priority ranking, and that odd man out would be Mitchell.
Enter Stephan Jaeger, the third-round leader at the Farmers Insurance Open. Jaeger finished 61st in the FedEx Cup Fall rankings and was practically guaranteed one of the extra spots into the Pebble field. Therefore, if Jaeger could move into the Aon Swing 5, replacing Thomas, it would immediately open up a spot for Mitchell, who ironically was Jaeger’s high school teammate at Baylor School in Chattanooga.
Things were looking promising for Jaeger as he birdied two of the first three holes at Torrey Pines South, taking a three-stroke lead. However, he bogeyed the 12th and 14th holes, which dropped him out of the lead. Then, on the 17th hole, he hit his tee shot into the penalty area.
Despite managing a bogey on the 71st hole, Jaeger was still trailing Matthieu Pavon by two on the 72nd. He needed a miracle on the par 5 to have a chance at a playoff, but unfortunately, his championship hopes were dashed when Pavon muscled his approach from the thick rough to nine feet and made the putt to secure the victory.
However, Jaeger birdied the final hole as well, which was enough to move him back into a tie for third at 11 under. This finish earned him 145 FedEx Cup points, propelling him into fifth place in the Aon Swing 5 standings. Mitchell’s trip to Pebble was not in vain.
The final Aon Swing 5 list consisted of Pavon, Sony Open winner Grayson Murray, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Kevin Yu, and Jaeger.
This situation is unlikely to be repeated, as other Signature Events won’t necessarily require 80 players. In total, eight additional players were needed to fill out the field.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What happened to Keith Mitchell at the Farmers Insurance Open?
Keith Mitchell missed the midway cut by one stroke after posting rounds of 71 at Torrey Pines.
Why did Keith Mitchell root for Stephan Jaeger?
Mitchell needed Jaeger to move into the Aon Swing 5 list in order to secure his spot in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
How did Stephan Jaeger perform at the Farmers Insurance Open?
Jaeger finished tied for third at 11 under, earning him 145 FedEx Cup points.
Who won the Farmers Insurance Open?
Matthieu Pavon emerged as the winner of the Farmers Insurance Open.
How many extra players were needed to fill out the field at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am?
Eight additional players were required to complete the field at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
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1. Keith Mitchell’s unfortunate performance at the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open led to him missing the cut by just one stroke.
2. As a result, Mitchell had extra time before the next Signature event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
3. However, his spot in the field was uncertain due to the PGA Tour’s priority ranking system, where last season’s FedEx Cup Fall standings determine eligibility for certain events.
4. Justin Thomas’ withdrawal from the Farmers Insurance Open due to his high ranking in the Aon Swing 5 list opened up a spot for Mitchell, but only if Stephan Jaeger could move into the top 5 on that list.
5. Jaeger’s performance during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open determined Mitchell’s fate, as he needed to finish in the top 5 of the tournament to move into the Aon Swing 5.
6. Despite a strong start, Jaeger’s chances were dashed by a few mistakes on the back nine, but he managed to birdie the final hole and secure his spot in the Aon Swing 5, thus allowing Mitchell to play in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
7. In total, eight additional players were needed to complete the field at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, making this situation a rare occurrence.
8. Mitchell’s rooting for Jaeger was crucial for his own spot in the next event and highlights the close relationship between the two, who were high school teammates.
9. Jaeger finished tied for third at the Farmers Insurance Open, while Matthieu Pavon emerged as the winner.
10. These events raised some frequently asked questions, such as what happened to Mitchell at the Farmers Insurance Open, why he was rooting for Jaeger, and who won the tournament.
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