How Johnny Keefer accidentally gamed the system for Masters invite

A happy accident got Johnny Keefer to Augusta.

The 25-year-old has an invite to The Masters this year after he cracked the top 50 of the World Golf Rankings while hardly playing a PGA Tour event.

Keefer has been dominating on the lower tours, capturing one win and eight top-five finishes on the PGA Tour Americas and then winning twice on the KFT Tour last year. He earned Player of the Year on both tours over 2024 and 2025.

As the Athletic reported, the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) puts an emphasis on wins and Keefer’s success allowed him to rise from 1,654th to No. 45 at the end of last year — and being inside the top 50 got him a PGA Tour card and a spot in the season’s first major.

“If you told me a year ago that we were talking about the Masters, talking about booking houses and stuff, playing in my third major, I’d be like OK, sure. Whatever. You’re crazy,” Keefer told The Athletic.

While a trip to fabled Augusta grounds in eastern Georgia is still three months away, Keefer started his new PGA Tour career on Thursday in Hawaii.

Keefer shot a 2-under in the Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club to put him a tie for 41st.

Keefer, who starred at Baylor University, is known for his bright smile that he often flashes on the course — but don’t let that fool you.

“I’ve always been such a competitive person,” he told GolfWeek. “I hate losing just about as much as anyone would and then times that by two. I’m a competitor at heart and I do smile, I do try and brighten everyone’s days, but at the same time, I really just, I want to compete and I want to win.”

Keefer is not a complete stranger to the big stage. He made the cut at the US Open last year, tying for 61st at Pinehurst, and also earned a spot in the PGA Championship, where he did not make it to the weekend.

He played in three PGA Tour events, missing the cut twice, but also tying for seventh at the RSM Classic.

“They call it Johnny Golf,” Keefer told GolfWeek of how his parents describe his game.

“I’ll kind of make a mess of a hole but scrap out a par or maybe even a crazy birdie. It’s pretty aggressive. I don’t give away many shots, I get the most out of my game.”