Mitchell holes out on 18 to take 2-shot lead

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Keith Mitchell capped off a magnificent run through the “Snake Pit” at Innisbrook on Saturday with a shot he never saw go in. His 7-iron from the 18th fairway one-hopped into the hole for eagle and a 5 under and a two-shot lead in the Valspar Championship.

Mitchell was among a dozen players on the fringe of contention at a tournament so tight that it began with all 77 players who made the cut separated by a mere six shots.

That changed when he went 3-2-2 through the closing stretch of the Copperhead course, the first player to do that in tournament history. Mitchell holed a birdie putt just inside 15 feet on the 16th hole, hit 6-iron to inside 3 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th and then holed out on the 18th hole with a 7-iron from about 151 yards up a steep hill.

That puts Mitchell at 10under 203, two shots clear of Mackenzie Hughes (69), Seamus Power (68) and Peter Malnati (68).

DP World Tour: At Singapore, David Micheluzzi kept his cool to take a oneshot lead heading into the final round of the Singapore Classic.

The Australian finished his 6-under 66 with backto-back birdies in the third round of the European tour event on Saturday. He’s 13under par for the tournament.

Overnight co-leader Andy

Sullivan (69) and fellow Englishman Sam Bairstow (68) both trail by one stroke at Laguna National Golf Resort Club.

The 27-year-old Micheluzzi, ranked No. 347, is looking for his first win on the European tour. He had one bogey — on the second hole — and acknowledged being “a little bit flustered” by the heat. Shubhankar Sharma (68) of India bogeyed the 18th to finish two shots off the lead on 11-under overall.