PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The PGA Tour shifts to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico this week, kicking off a crucial stretch for players fighting to keep their tour cards for another season.
For Johnny Keefer, it might be just the beginning of something special.
The World Wide Technology Championship marks only Keefer’s fifth PGA Tour start since turning pro last summer — and two of those were majors. At just 24 years old, he’s already climbed to No. 53 in the world ranking and has his sights set on a potential Masters invitation.
What’s most striking about Keefer isn’t just his rapid rise but his approach to the game. He doesn’t obsess over winning. Instead, he focuses on the joy of competition — a philosophy that mirrors what Scottie Scheffler has embraced during his ascent to world No. 1.
When asked about his goals, Keefer offers a nuanced response.
“The ‘no’ part is I don’t like to put too much expectation on myself. I just want to play, have fun and compete,” he explains. “But at the same time, I do have goals, small goals to get me where I want to be. I’m hoping I can get to No. 1 in the world, be a major champion, all that. But the little steps for me are what’s important.”
Those little steps have already yielded remarkable results.
From College to the Big Leagues
Last week, Keefer joined nine other Korn Ferry Tour graduates at PGA Tour headquarters for rookie orientation. After a full day of interviews, photo shoots, and administrative tasks, he received a surprise — the bronze trophy recognizing him as Korn Ferry Tour player of the year.
It’s a stunning achievement considering that just 17 months ago, Keefer was a fifth-year senior at Baylor playing in the NCAA Championship at La Costa with an uncertain future. He was leaning toward California for Q-School for PGA Tour Americas — two tiers below the PGA Tour with minimal world ranking points and total purses of just $225,000.
Then everything changed. A tie for 11th at the NCAAs bumped him up four spots to No. 25 in the PGA Tour University ranking — by a mere 0.75 points. That slim margin gave him the final spot on PGA Tour Americas, and he quickly discovered the reality of professional golf.
In his pro debut, Keefer shot a solid 68, only to find himself tied for 58th. Welcome to the next level.
But he adjusted fast. He finished tied for fifth in that event, then went on a tear across Canada — winning twice, finishing runner-up four times, and landing in the top 10 in nine of ten starts. From there, he advanced to the Korn Ferry Tour, where he won twice more to lead the points list and secure his PGA Tour card.
The path forward, however, is never predictable.
Matt McCarty topped the Korn Ferry Tour points list last year and won on the PGA Tour in just his second start as a member. But Justin Suh (2022) returned to the Korn Ferry Tour after two years, and Ben Kohles (2023) might be heading back down as well.
“I try not to get too into bad shots and good shots,” Keefer says. “You’re never as good as you think you are, never as bad as you think you are. Don’t get too high or low. I understand it’s a tough game and just go from there.”
Early Signs of Potential
PGA professional Bryan Gathright from San Antonio still remembers when a small-framed Keefer first came for lessons as he was starting high school.
“He was pretty small until his senior year, but he moves great and he’s very, very strong for his build. He’s stronger than he looks,” says Gathright, who trained under the legendary Harvey Penick. “You see it in their eyes… the attention to detail. He’s really sharp, very smart. The focus he has is ridiculous. We didn’t know he was going to be where he is now, but we knew he was special.”
When the tour presented Keefer with his metal-plated tour card, they included a thoughtful extra gift — a lacrosse stick engraved with “Tour Bound.”
The gesture was perfect because lacrosse was actually Keefer’s first love. He played as a kid in Maryland and continued when his parents — both engineers who helped build Mexico’s largest brewery — moved to San Diego. That’s where he began playing more golf. When the family relocated to San Antonio, where lacrosse wasn’t as established, his path changed.
“I went to the first two practices and the drills weren’t quite the same, the team environment was not quite the same,” Keefer recalls. “I tried traveling with other teams and then said, ‘Let’s see how this golf thing goes.'”
It’s gone remarkably well. His career scoring average at Baylor (71.45) broke the school record previously held by Jimmy Walker, who went on to win the PGA Championship in 2016 and represent the U.S. on two Ryder Cup teams.
Looking Ahead
Now comes Keefer’s biggest challenge — competing against the world’s best week after week in 2026.
He’s already secured a spot in next year’s U.S. Open by leading the Korn Ferry Tour. A strong showing in Mexico could boost his world ranking high enough to earn an invitation to Augusta National — not bad for someone who made his world ranking debut at No. 1,654 after his first pro start in Canada.
Golf doesn’t move as quickly as lacrosse. But for Johnny Keefer right now, it sure feels that way.
