Keith “Cashmere” Mitchell played for the Dawgs from 2010-14, earning All-American honors before turning professional. The Chattanooga native and St. Simons Island resident earned his first PGA Tour victory at the 2019 Honda Classic with a clutch birdie on 18. This year, Mitchell finished T-4 at the U.S. Open, becoming the first player to shoot even-par 70 in all four rounds.
When did the nickname Cashmere start and how did it come about? Besides you, who has the best style on Tour?
A caddie named John Davenport, who’s caddied for multiple Georgia players on the PGA Tour, came up with it and started calling me that in the locker room for fun. He snuck it in to Colt Knost, and once Colt said it on air and Jim Nantz followed him up with it, it stuck. It’s been around longer than it’s been public, but it came about through a Georgia caddie. Best style on Tour? It’s hard not to say Adam Scott. Tommy Fleetwood’s gaining some steam, too, so I’ll put those two guys up there.
Tell us your favorite memory from playing golf at UGA.
I would say team dinners at Peppino’s after Thursday afternoon practice running the gauntlet. Coach Haack made us do a short-game practice, and whoever won got to pick dinner. But it basically didn’t matter. We always loved going to Peppino’s.
Your 2019 Honda Classic victory was your first PGA TOUR win. What do you remember most about the final round and making that clutch birdie putt on the 18th hole?
It started on the 11th hole when I made bogey. I was, I think, three back and felt like I might have lost the tournament. But I still had a few holes left, and I was really having a lot of fun. Then I birdied the next two holes and ended up making two more. The putt on 18 was kind of the same. I was nervous, but I was having more fun than I was having bad nerves. That helped me get across the finish line.
At this year’s U.S. Open, you went from shooting a 6-over 41 on your opening nine to a 6-under 29 on the next nine. What was going through your mind during that turnaround, and what allowed you to stay mentally composed and finish with a T-4?
It was the opposite feeling on that front nine. I was not having fun. I was miserable. That golf course was hard, and the wind was blowing. I looked at the leaderboard and thought I was almost in last place. I knew I had a lot of golf left and was trying to figure out how I was going to survive, let alone play well. Then I hit a couple good shots on 17 and 18 that led to pars and gave me some momentum. I made birdie on one and thought, a couple over par at Shinnecock is really not that bad. I might still be in it. I just kept the pedal down, made some birdies and had a good weekend.
You are currently a Player Director on the PGA Tour Policy Board and co-chairman of the Player Advisory Council. What has that been like with all the new changes coming to the Tour in 2028, and what type of leader is PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp?
It’s been a lot of fun because we’ve got to really see how the meal’s made coming into 2028 with a new schedule. Having player input and teaching football guys about golf and the nuances, while they teach us about media, business and sponsorship revenue, has been eye-opening. I know infinite things about the game of golf, but I don’t know much about media rights and sponsorship revenue. Having that fresh perspective has been great. I think the Tour is going to be in an absolutely much better place in ’27, let alone ’28. I’m very, very pleased with Brian and his leadership.
