Talking Watches: With Keith Mitchell

When Keith Mitchell tapped in for par on the 72nd hole of last week’s U.S. Open, it secured a tie for fourth—the best finish of his career in a PGA Tour major. Ten days earlier, Mitchell wasn’t even in the field; he’d had to play his way in through a last-minute qualifier. After an opening front nine of six-over, he clawed his way back and, by the third round, sat tied for eleventh. At the post-round press conference, he was wearing a pièce unique Laurent Ferrier. Months earlier, we got the backstory behind this watch—and his entire collection—and we’re thrilled to bring you that today in our latest episode of Talking Watches.

Mitchell is as well known for his style on the course as for his ball-striking, the product of a longtime collaboration with Atlanta-based clothier Sid Mashburn. But the discerning eye will notice that the style extends to the wrist. Mitchell has long been a watch guy—he made a brief appearance on Ben Clymer Presents—but in this episode, he gets the full Talking Watches treatment, sitting down with us to walk through his collection, including how it started, the time a family Rolex was stolen (and remains missing), and the story behind his Tweety Bird Baby G.

After more than a decade on tour, Mitchell remains one of the most likable guys in the game, and that comes through in his collection. There are some serious Rolex and Patek Philippe pieces, sure, but he’s just as enthusiastic about his G-Shock. He draws a parallel between watches and putters, and explains that even with all the very advanced golf technology out there, he still trusts a Scotty Cameron over anything newer—a parallel that could certainly extend into watches. He walks through the entire collection here, but after a top-five finish at the U.S. Open, the real question is what he’ll add to commemorate it. We’ll have to wait and see, but for now, here’s Talking Watches with Keith Mitchell.