Golf fans stunned after learning who is 51st in the Official World Golf Rankings

A number of golf fans on social media are shocked to learn Korn Ferry Tour player Johnny Keefer has risen to 51st in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). 

Keefer, 24, has certainly performed well on the lower-tier circuit with two victories among nine top-10 finishes this season. 

That has seen the talented American surge to the top of the Korn Ferry Tour standings and deservedly punch his ticket to the PGA Tour in 2026. 

Incredibly this week, Keefer even has a chance to set a new single-season scoring record across the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour. 

Keefer’s scoring record stands at 67.79, which is the same as what Tiger Woods achieved in both 2000 and 2007 on the PGA Tour.

Keefer started this season well outside the top 200 in the OWGR.

But as it stands after this week's latest OWGR update following a tie for seventh at the Compliance Solutions Championship, Keefer has now vaulted to a career-best 51st.

He's also now on the verge of playing his way into The Masters next April.

Keefer just needs to continue on his rapid rise and finish the season inside the top 50 to earn his first appearance at Augusta National.

He finished T61 on his major debut at the US Open in June. 

To many golf fans, Keefer is a new name and something of a surprise addition to the top 50 of the OWGR. 

He is so new to the pro game that he doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. 

While some golf fans have applauded Keefer's rise and think it's very much fair, others think it's something of a farce that a Korn Ferry Tour player has managed to creep so high up the OWGR, no matter his season.

"We're at the point where you can get into the OWGR Top 50 by playing on the Korn Ferry Tour," commented Pro Golf Critic on X / Twitter. 

Some fans find it laughable that Marco Penge, who has won twice on the DP World Tour this season and is chasing World No.2 Rory McIlroy for the Race to Dubai, is sitting four spots behind Keefer in 55th position.

"Wait this can't be real?" commented one shocked fan. 

"He’s ahead of Penge? Like what are we doing here?"

You could probably pick out plenty of other names at 52nd or worse on the OWGR and be pretty amazed to learn that Keefer is sat in front of them right now.

"Didn't know this could be done, it's comical," wrote another.

"Total joke, OWGR outdated," tweeted one. 

"OWGR laughable now," commented a fan. 

VIEW FULL OWGR HERE

Other golf fans think Keefer's position is fair. 

"It's the second best tour on the planet so why not?" commented one. 

"This has always been a thing btw," wrote another.

One fan tweeted: "Michael Sim did something similar in 2009." 

If truth be told, while the OWGR is still an official world ranking system to govern the professional game, it's hardly a secret anymore that it has become rather outdated given all LIV Golf League events still remain in the dark. 

That's why someone like Jon Rahm, who many consider is the third best player in the world right now, looks on from the 73rd rung of the OWGR ladder.

The latest update coming out of LIV Golf is that the breakaway league is in discussions with those on the board at the OWGR to finally be invited to the party, but as of yet nothing has been confirmed. 

What do you make of Johnny Keefer rising to 51st?

Be honest, had you heard of him? 

Should LIV Golf get points now? 

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