Bahamas Atlantis Field Preview #1

On January 12th the Korn Ferry Tour season will begin at the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island. Leading up to the event, we are going to highlight three golfers a day and will cover different categories, including multiple PGA Tour winners, lifelong grinders, players who recaptured status, and much more. 

Today, we highlight three KFT rookies. 

Johnny Keefer

Age: 24

Turned Pro: 2024

College: Baylor

Keefer finished 25th in the PGA Tour University rankings after a stellar career at Baylor, where he set numerous records, including the best career scoring average with 71.45. With his finish in PGA Tour U, Keefer earned status on the Canadian portion of the Americas Tour season and took full advantage: he finished in a tie for 5th in his first event on the Americas Tour, and a tie for 2nd in his second. In his third event, he finished solo 2nd. 

In total, Keffer played 10 Americas Tour events and finished in the top-five in eight of them. He also got his first pro win in Manitoba. Keefer won the Americas season-long points race despite not playing any events in the Latin American portion of the season. 

After the Americas Tour season, Keefer received a sponsor's exemption into the Napa PGA Tour event, and finished T13. He also nearly earned a PGA Tour card at the final stage of Q-school, finishing T14, just three strokes short of PGA Tour status. 

By winning the Americas points list, Keefer is exempt for the entire KFT season.

Zach James

Age: 29

Turned Pro: 2019

College: Southeastern Oklahoma State University

James cannot only play some seriously good golf, but he can also prepare your taxes. The former two-time finalist for the Nicklaus Award, given to the best Division II player in the country, works part-time as a CPA to help with the cost of pro golf. 

The 29-year-old says he works about 20 hours a week as a CPA on non-event weeks and up to 10 on tournament weeks. I have heard of many side jobs for players, but a CPA is a new one. 

After battling injuries for much of the first few years as a pro, James was finally healthy in 2024. He backed it up with some great play on the All-Pro Tour. Despite playing just six events on the APT, James led the money list with over $44,000 in earnings. 

The good play continued in Q-school, where he breezed through all three stages, including back-to-back 63s at Second Stage. His T26 finish at the final stage locked up starts for the first eight events. 

Stories like James’ are why KFT is my favorite tour in the world. A CPA who is one step away from the PGA Tour. 

John Greco

Age: 30

Turned Pro: 2017

College: William Jessup

After the third round of Final Stage, Greco sat in for an interview with Golf Channel, and I immediately noticed his Nike hat. One round away from a PGA Tour card, Greco was wearing a hat he had bought at a mall the week he got engaged. 

Although a final round 74 knocked him out of PGA Tour contention, the 30-year-old locked up the first eight KFT starts after getting through all three stages of Q-school. 

Greco attended a tiny private college in California after two years at a local community college. In his final year at William Jessup University, Greco won four times at the NAIA school. His senior season was the first time Greco truly considered giving pro golf a serious chance. 

However, Greco's family couldn't help him financially. Luckily, a family friend, David Tanimoto, was able to help, and Greco grinded on the mini-tour scene. "I wouldn't be here without him," Greco told me. 

Greco has played mainly on the Asher Tour on the West Coast and has one win along with multiple top-five finishes. Last season, he played on the Americas Tour and finished 166th in points, playing in just six events. 

In the past, Greco said he put too much pressure on himself at Q-school and came in this year with a fresh outlook. Recently engaged, Greco credits his life off the course as a major factor in his run through Q-school. Greco won First Stage, locking up Americas Tour status, before advancing to the final stage and guaranteeing himself the first eight starts on KFT. 

Greco’s Nike hat will accompany him to the Bahamas. 

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