Johnny Keefer: Difference between revisions

By /

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Content deleted Content added


Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit

 
Line 6: Line 6:

Keefer’s father was a recreational golfer and introduced his son to the game as a child. The family moved to [[San Diego, California]] when Keefer was aged seven, and he began playing golf at The Farms Golf Club. They relocated to [[San Antonio, Texas]] when Keefer was 14 and he joined [[TPC San Antonio]].<ref name=pgaintl/> Alongside golf, he played [[lacrosse]] until his senior year of high school. He originally intended to become a professional lacrosse player but switched focus to golf after the move to San Antonio.<ref name=pgaintl/> Keefer attended [[Lady Bird Johnson High School]] in San Antonio.<ref name=baylor/> In 2017, he won the [[AJGA]] Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation Junior Championship and the TJGT Texas Junior Masters. He was No. 10 in the ”[[Golfweek]]” rankings of the 2019 recruiting class and signed his [[National Letter of Intent]] in November 2018 with [[Baylor University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Men’s Golf Signs Four Top Recruits |url=https://baylorbears.com/news/2018/11/14/mens-golf-signs-four-top-recruits |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=Baylor |language=en}}</ref>

Keefer’s father was a recreational golfer and introduced his son to the game as a child. The family moved to [[San Diego, California]] when Keefer was aged seven, and he began playing golf at The Farms Golf Club. They relocated to [[San Antonio, Texas]] when Keefer was 14 and he joined [[TPC San Antonio]].<ref name=pgaintl/> Alongside golf, he played [[lacrosse]] until his senior year of high school. He originally intended to become a professional lacrosse player but switched focus to golf after the move to San Antonio.<ref name=pgaintl/> Keefer attended [[Lady Bird Johnson High School]] in San Antonio.<ref name=baylor/> In 2017, he won the [[AJGA]] Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation Junior Championship and the TJGT Texas Junior Masters. He was No. 10 in the ”[[Golfweek]]” rankings of the 2019 recruiting class and signed his [[National Letter of Intent]] in November 2018 with [[Baylor University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Men’s Golf Signs Four Top Recruits |url=https://baylorbears.com/news/2018/11/14/mens-golf-signs-four-top-recruits |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=Baylor |language=en}}</ref>

Playing for the [[Baylor Bears]] from 2019 to 2024, Keefer was an All-[[Big 12]] selection in 2022 and 2024, and qualified to represent the United States at the [[2022 Palmer Cup]].<ref name=baylor/> He won medalist honors twice, at the 2021 Rice Intercollegiate and 2023 Valero Texas Collegiate.<ref name=”veritex”>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=Johnny Keefer wins Veritex Bank Championship for maiden Korn Ferry Tour victory – PGA TOUR |url=https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/article/news/daily-wrapup/2025/04/27/johnny-keefer-wins-veritex-bank-championship-for-maiden-victory-arlington-texas |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=www.pgatour.com |language=en}}</ref> He had a career stroke average of 71.45, which broke the Baylor program record previously held by [[Jimmy Walker]] (71.55).<ref name=”baylor”>{{Cite web |title=Johnny Keefer – Men’s Golf |url=https://baylorbears.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/johnny-keefer/12506 |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=Baylor |language=en}}</ref> Keefer majored in accounting and became the first men’s golfer in Big 12 Conference history to win back-to-back Scholar Athlete of the Year awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-17 |title=Baylor’s 2023-24 Big 12 Athlete of the Year Nominees |url=http://big12sports.com/news/2024/6/16/golf-baylors-2023-24-big-12-athlete-of-the-year-nominees.aspx |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=big12sports.com |language=en}}</ref>

Playing for the [[Baylor Bears]] from 2019 to 2024, Keefer was an All-[[Big 12]] selection in 2022 and 2024, and qualified to represent the United States at the [[2022 Palmer Cup]].<ref name=baylor/> He won medalist honors twice, at the 2021 Rice Intercollegiate and 2023 Valero Texas Collegiate.<ref name=”veritex”>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=Johnny Keefer wins Veritex Bank Championship for maiden Korn Ferry Tour victory – PGA TOUR |url=https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/article/news/daily-wrapup/2025/04/27/johnny-keefer-wins-veritex-bank-championship-for-maiden-victory-arlington-texas |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=www.pgatour.com |language=en}}</ref> He had a career stroke average of 71.45, which broke the Baylor program record previously held by [[Jimmy Walker]] (71.55).<ref name=”baylor”>{{Cite web |title=Johnny Keefer – Men’s Golf |url=https://baylorbears.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/johnny-keefer/12506 |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=Baylor |language=en}}</ref> Keefer majored in accounting and became the first men’s golfer in Big 12 Conference history to win back-to-back Scholar Athlete of the Year awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-17 |title=Baylor’s 2023-24 Big 12 Athlete of the Year Nominees |url=http://big12sports.com/news/2024/6/16/golf-baylors-2023-24-big-12-athlete-of-the-year-nominees.aspx |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=big12sports.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Professional career==

==Professional career==

Latest revision as of 18:01, 25 November 2025

John Keefer IV (born January 11, 2001) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. After playing for Baylor University, he turned professional and finished first on the 2024 PGA Tour Americas points list, earning promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. He topped the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour points list to secure status on the PGA Tour.

Early life and amateur career

[edit]

Keefer was born in Baltimore, Maryland,[1] to Judy and John Keefer III.[2][3] Judy moved to the United States from Hong Kong as a child.[2] Both of Keefer’s parents are engineers;[4] they worked at Gilbane Building, a construction and real estate development firm. They often traveled as part of their work and Judy described Keefer as a “latchkey kid“.[5] Keefer has an elder sister, Amanda.[2]

Keefer’s father was a recreational golfer and introduced his son to the game as a child. The family moved to San Diego, California when Keefer was aged seven, and he began playing golf at The Farms Golf Club. They relocated to San Antonio, Texas when Keefer was 14 and he joined TPC San Antonio.[2] Alongside golf, he played lacrosse until his senior year of high school. He originally intended to become a professional lacrosse player but switched focus to golf after the move to San Antonio.[2] Keefer attended Lady Bird Johnson High School in San Antonio.[6] In 2017, he won the AJGA Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation Junior Championship and the TJGT Texas Junior Masters. He was No. 10 in the Golfweek rankings of the 2019 recruiting class and signed his National Letter of Intent in November 2018 with Baylor University.[7]

Playing for the Baylor Bears from 2019 to 2024, Keefer was an All-Big 12 selection in 2022 and 2024, and qualified to represent the United States at the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup.[6] He won medalist honors twice, at the 2021 Rice Intercollegiate and 2023 Valero Texas Collegiate.[8] He had a career stroke average of 71.45, which broke the Baylor program record previously held by Jimmy Walker (71.55).[6] Keefer majored in accounting and became the first men’s golfer in Big 12 Conference history to win back-to-back Scholar Athlete of the Year awards.[9]

Professional career

[edit]

Keefer finished 25th in the 2023-24 PGA Tour University standings, which earned him status on PGA Tour Americas.[6] In his 10 starts during the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season, he placed inside the top 10 nine times, including four runner-up finishes and a win at the CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open. He set the record for lowest scoring average on PGA Tour Americas (66.00) and finished first in the points list, earning promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour in 2025.[10] Keefer received an exemption into the Procore Championship in September 2024, which was his PGA Tour debut. He tied for 13th at 9-under 279.[11]

In April 2025, Keefer shot a final-round 64 to total 30-under 254 and win the Veritex Bank Championship by three strokes. This was his first Korn Ferry Tour victory.[8] He made his major championship debut at the 2025 PGA Championship in May, and made his first cut in a major championship at the 2025 U.S. Open in June, where he finished tied-61st. Keefer won his second Korn Ferry Tour title of the season at the NV5 Invitationalin July, shooting 26-under 258 to break the tournament scoring record.[12] He ended the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season ranked first in the points list, securing full status on the PGA Tour in 2026. He broke the Korn Ferry Tour record for lowest scoring average with 67.95, breaking the previous record set by Luke Guthrie in 2012 (68.33).[13][14] For his achievements, Keefer was named the Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year and Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year. He was the first to win both awards since Scottie Scheffler in 2019.[15] After finishing tied-seventh in the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic in November 2025, Keefer moved to 47th in the Official World Golf Ranking.[16]

  1. ^ “Johnny Keefer PGA TOUR Player Profile, Stats, Bio, Career”. www.pgatour.com. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  2. ^ a b c d e https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/telecast_notes/2025-the-rsm-classic-telecast-notes-rd-3.pdf
  3. ^ Staff. “2025 Korn Ferry Tour graduates: Meet the 20 newest PGA TOUR members”. www.pgatour.com. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  4. ^ https://www.ourquadcities.com/sports/ap-johnny-keefer-making-steady-gains-up-the-ladder-and-now-starts-his-biggest-test-on-pga-tour/
  5. ^ Prise, Kevin. “Johnny Keefer continues rapid rise, #TOURBound after NV5 Invitational victory – PGA TOUR”. www.pgatour.com. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  6. ^ a b c d “Johnny Keefer – Men’s Golf”. Baylor. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  7. ^ “Men’s Golf Signs Four Top Recruits”. Baylor. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  8. ^ a b Staff. “Johnny Keefer wins Veritex Bank Championship for maiden Korn Ferry Tour victory – PGA TOUR”. www.pgatour.com. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  9. ^ “Baylor’s 2023-24 Big 12 Athlete of the Year Nominees”. big12sports.com. 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  10. ^ Staff, TSN ca (2024-09-09). “Meet the 10 PGA TOUR Americas Graduates, newest Korn Ferry Tour Members for 2025”. TSN. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  11. ^ “NO, JOHNNY, REALLY”. Baylor. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  12. ^ Staff. “Johnny Keefer wins NV5 Invitational for second victory of season – PGA TOUR”. www.pgatour.com. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  13. ^ Staff. “Johnny Keefer named 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year – PGA TOUR”. www.pgatour.com. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  14. ^ Schupak, Adam. “The smiling assassin: Johnny Keefer is bringing ‘Johnny Golf’ to the PGA Tour next season”. Golfweek. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  15. ^ Kelly, Todd. “Johnny Keefer wins 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors”. Golfweek. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  16. ^ By; Romine, Brentley; By; Romine, Brentley (2025-11-25). “As Johnny Keefer skyrockets in world rankings, he keeps memory of teenage cousin close”. NBC Sports. Retrieved 2025-11-25.

Must Read

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top