It was one of the most crowded and talented leaderboards in recent CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open history with a dramatic finish that came right down to the final shot on the final hole.
And when the dust finally settled on a sweaty, sun-soaked Sunday afternoon at Southwood Golf & Country Club, a calm, cool and collected rookie from Baltimore had the big breakthrough he’d been waiting for.
Johnny Keefer rolled in a short par putt — the kind he’s made countless times in his head — to clinch his first professional victory, going wire-to-wire and concluding the 72-hole tournament at 26-under par.
“The win didn’t sink in until it dropped,” said Keefer, a 23-year-old recent graduate of Baylor who had finished second in four previous PGA Tour Americas events this season in Alberta, New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
“It’s incredible. It’s been a short time, but it feels like a long time coming. Coming in second-place four times doesn’t feel maybe quite as good as you’d think. It’s a relief. Really happy to win.”
Keefer, who began the week at No. 2 on the tour’s order of merit — how fitting? — now vaults to the top spot while cashing a cheque of US $40,500 that increases his overall earnings to more than US $140,000.
With 14 of 16 events now in the rear-view mirror, he’s a lock to earn his Korn Ferry Tour card for the 2025 campaign, which is given to the top 10 finishers.
“This definitely validates that good golf is good enough. I really feel like I can compete day in and day out with really anyone in the world,” said Keefer.
“Maybe not Scotty (Scheffler) as his best, yet. But there’s a lot of really great players on this tour. I’m really excited and really prepared for what’s to come.”
Keefer opened with a 63 on Thursday to grab a share of the lead and never looked back. He tied the course record on Friday with 61 to open up a three-stroke cushion, but a tough 71 on Saturday in windy conditions brought him a bit closer to the field and gave him a one-shot margin heading into Sunday.
“It’s never super easy sleeping on the lead or even being close to contention, but I really didn’t think that I was nervous to start,” he said.
Playing in the final group with a fellow rookie, Neal Shipley, the two engaged in what felt like match play for much of the afternoon and took turns leap-frogging each other.
“When I first got (his first) birdie on No. 3 I was pretty relieved. And I was like ‘It’s go time. I’ve got to go low,’” said Keefer. “Neal’s a great player. I knew it was going to be a battle with him all the way to the end and he was going to gun for it. And he did.”
Several other players were making big charges including Ontario’s Matthew Anderson, who entered this week as the No. 1 player on tour and fired a final-round nine-under 63. Hunter Wolcott of Tennessee matched that low score of the day, while Quebec’s Joey Savoie shot 64.
“I knew someone from behind was going to come up and surprise us a little bit. It was really important that we kept the pedal down and kept going after it,” said Keefer.
They certainly did, with it all coming down to the 18th hole and both men standing at the tee box at 26-under.
While Keefer hit a perfect drive down the fairway, Shipley went left and landed in the deep fescue. He had to chip out short of the green, hit his third shot to about six-feet and then missed the par putt which opened the door for Keefer who finished with a 67.
“I think the thing I’ve learned most is that every shot counts no matter what. It’s the smallest margin from winning to second place to even top 10,” said Keefer.
“I know how competitive it is out here. You’ve got to do a lot of things right. This week I really went in with the attitude, no matter what I do, just grind it out and give yourself a chance coming in. Week in and week out, you really prepare yourself to win. No one prepares themselves for second place over and over and over again.”
Shipley, who hails from Pittsburgh and has become a sensation in the golf world after winning low amateur honours at The Masters and U.S. Open prior to turning pro, finished tied for second with Savoie at 25-under.
“Neal was great playing partner. He’s a great competitor, You can see it. You can feel it when you’re stepping over a tee shot You can feel the intensity coming,” said Keefer.
“I knew the entire time we’re going to have some fun but he was coming for my throat. It was great. That’s kind of the people you want to win against. Great players, really competitive guys. I think he did a hell of a job. It was really awesome battling with him.”
No Canadian has won this event since Graham DeLaet back in 2009, despite Savoie and a handful of others giving it a good run.
Wolcott finished alone in fourth at 24-under, while Anderson and another Canadian, Noah Steele of Kingston, joined Montana’s Ryggs Johnston in a tie for fifth at 22-under. Calgary’s Brendan MacDougall made it four Canadians in the top eight, finishing alone in eighth at 21-under.
It’s been a whirlwind few months for Keefer, who needed a strong finish in his final school event last spring just to finish 25th on the college standings and claim the final PGA Tour Americas card.
“I’m going to look back on it and it’s going to be one of the most important times of my career. I finished really well just to skate into that 25 spot and give me the opportunities I’ve had,” said Keefer.
“To take advantage of those opportunities has been absolutely massive. It’s been a great kick-starter for me.”
He was quick to credit his parents, other family members and a myriad of coaches who have helped him over the years.
“There’s been a lot of people in my corner. There’s a lot of people to thank. It’s an incredible feeling,” he said, noting he was excited to speak with his father on the phone.
“He’s an emotional ball. I bet you I’m going to call him and it’s going to be a sob-fest. He’s been such a rock for me, when I’ve been down or even up like now he’ll bring me back down to Earth. From long nights on the putting green, taking millions of videos of my swing…I can’t thank him enough.”
Keefer now hopes to follow in the footsteps of 2023 winner Hayden Spring and 2022 champion Parker Coody, who quickly turned Manitoba Open triumphs into full-time status on the PGA Tour. Keefer came one shot short of tying Coody’s tournament record score of 27-under.
“I think this course and this tournament is pretty special. A lot of great guys have won this tournament,” said Keefer.
“I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself and say I’m on the PGA Tour yet. I’ll take it a week at a time and see where it takes me. But it’s pretty nice to know those guys have done well here and gone on and succeeded.”
X: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyre
Sports reporter
Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
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