Baylor Men's Golf’s Keefer Finishes Tied for 52nd at the NCAA Championships

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Johnny Keefer closed a strong spring season with a tie for 52nd on Monday at The NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club.

The first Baylor men’s golf representative in the fourth round of the NCAA Tournament since 2017, Keefer’s 8-over 288 is the best 72-hole NCAA championship score in program history.

Florida’s Fred Biondi won the individual title with a 7-under 273 to edge Illinois’ Jackson Buchanan by one shot. North Carolina captured the top overall seed heading into match play with a 6-under 1,114. Florida, Illinois, Pepperdine, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Virginia and Arizona State also clinched a spot in the match-play quarterfinals on Tuesday.

THE RUNDOWN

Starting on the back nine, Keefer began his round strong with a birdie at No. 10 for the second-straight day but gave the shot back with a bogey at No. 11. He followed with six-straight pars until a bogey at No. 18, dropped him over par at the turn. Turning to the front side, Keefer rolled in three-straight pars but ran into a bit of trouble with a double bogey at No. 4 and a bogey at No. 5. The senior closed out his season with four-straight pars to finish with a 4-over 74 and a tie for 52nd place.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Since the stroke-play portion was expanded in 2015, Keefer became just the sixth BU golfer to make the cut and play in the fourth round.
• Keefer became the first golfer since Cody Paladino in 2009 to represent Baylor as an individual in the NCAA Championships.
• Keefer's 72-hole score of 288 in the NCAA Championships bested Matthew Perrine and Hunter Shattuck’s previous mark of 290 set back in the 2017 NCAA Championship at Rich Harvest Farms.

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