What is a 'Thai spinner'? Pro explains 'one of best shots I've ever hit'

Keith Mitchell is cruising at the 2025 Texas Children’s Houston Open. But one crafty shot in particular had Mitchell beaming — and golf fans gushing — Friday night. It’s called the “Thai spinner”, and Mitchell explained everything about it after his second round.

Mitchell’s heroic bunker shot

The scene was Thursday’s opening round at Memorial Park. Playing the par-3 9th hole, the PGA Tour veteran lost his tee shot into a back-right greenside bunker, and he was left with an almost impossible scenario, which he described in his press conference.

“I was in the back of the bunker and I had the lip behind me so I couldn’t really get a straight up and down backswing enough to hit the ball high, land on the green and stop it,” Mitchell explained. “There was water on the other side, pretty much had everything going against me.”

And then Mitchell detailed the “only shot” he could make from that spot: the Thai spinner.

“The only shot that I could think of was just kind of stab it, catch the ball first and try to scoot it up the slope and then make it spin when it got on top.”

It’s safe to say he pulled it off. As you can see for yourself below, Mitchell enacted his plan, spinning shot perfectly in what he said was one of the top shots of his life.

“I don’t know how I did it, but it was probably one of the best shots I’ve ever hit and came out exactly like I wanted it to and almost went in the hole.”