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Unlikely Partners Keith Mitchell and Sungjae Im Deliver Wholesome Content at Zurich Classic

This pairing at the PGA Tour’s team format event is generating some incredible energy with their surprising partnership.
Gabrielle Herzig|
Unlikely Partners Keith Mitchell and Sungjae Im Deliver Wholesome Content at Zurich Classic
Unlikely Partners Keith Mitchell and Sungjae Im Deliver Wholesome Content at Zurich Classic

Keith Mitchell and Sungjae Im might have one day of competition left to catch the Zurich Classic leaders, Beau Hossler and Wyndham Clark, but they’ve already won the event with their brewing friendship. 

Mitchell, who hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee and Im, a 25-year-old South Korean golf sensation, couldn’t be more different. Mitchell played college golf at the University of Georgia, while Im turned professional as a teenager to play on the Japan Golf Tour. Despite their backgrounds, however, the unlikely pairing has been four years in the making. 

Mitchell had his eye on Im as a partner for the Zurich Classic back in 2018, when Im was in the midst of his Rookie of the Year run on the PGA Tour. When Mitchell asked the young phenom to be on his team, he was rejected—Im already had a partner locked up.

Fast forward to the 2023 season and the Louisiana event wasn’t even on Mitchell’s schedule. That is, until Im asked Mitchell himself to partner up.

“This year he finally thought my game was good enough to play with him and asked me to play, and of course you say yes,” Mitchell said after Thursday’s opening round. The pair shot a 10-under 62.

Mitchell and Im not only passed the time striping iron shots and rolling in birdie putts that first round, they also taught each other a thing or two. Im showed Mitchell a few Korean phrases, while Mitchell attempted to convert Im into a Georgia football fan. 

The partners continued to deliver wholesome content after Saturday’s round. The pair posted another 62 in the best ball format, which was highlighted by six birdies on the front nine from Im. 

Mitchell praised his teammates performance to the media, even calling the two-time PGA Tour winner a future Hall of Famer. 

Im might be loving his partnership with Mitchell this week in Louisiana, but that doesn’t mean he’s a fan of the 31-year-old’s signature style—especially his headwear. 

“You like the visor?” Mitchell said. Im responded as politely as he could. 

“For me, no.” 

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Gabrielle Herzig
GABRIELLE HERZIG

Gabrielle Herzig is a Breaking and Trending News writer for Sports Illustrated Golf. Previously, she worked as a Golf Digest Contributing Editor, an NBC Sports Digital Editorial Intern, and a Production Runner for FOX Sports at the site of the 2018 U.S. Open. Gabrielle graduated as a Politics Major from Pomona College in Claremont, California, where she was a four-year member and senior-year captain of the Pomona-Pitzer women’s golf team. In her junior year, Gabrielle studied abroad in Scotland for three months, where she explored the Home of Golf by joining the Edinburgh University Golf Club.

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