Johnny Keefer leads heading into final round at The Panama Championship

Johnny Keefer leads by one shot over Pierceson Coody and Davis Chatfield heading into the final round at The Panama Championship at Club de Golf de Panama, after a third-round 3-under 67.

Charting the leader

Johnny Keefer (first/10-under)

• A first-year member making his third career start on the Korn Ferry Tour, holds his first 54-hole lead/co-lead in a Korn Ferry Tour event, with his previous season-high 54-hole position being T52/2025 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club (finished T60)
• Held his only other 54-hole lead/co-lead in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event last season on PGA TOUR Americas, when he converted a one-stroke lead into his first professional victory (2024 Manitoba Open)
• Previously held the 18-hole lead earlier this week, and is bidding to become the second 18-hole leader/co-leader to win a Korn Ferry Tour event since the start of the 2024 season (Paul Peterson/2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation)
• Posted a career-low round on the Korn Ferry Tour with a 6-under 64 in the first round en route to the 18-hole lead; he is bidding to become the second 18-hole leader/co-leader to win a Korn Ferry Tour event since the start of the 2024 season (Paul Peterson/2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation)
• Earned fully exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2025 season by finishing No. 1 in the 2024 Fortinet Cup standings on PGA TOUR Americas; in 10 starts last season, made all 10 cuts and posted nine top-10s, including four runner-up finishes and a victory at the 2024 Manitoba Open
• Claimed the final spot in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking and finished No. 25 to earn exempt membership into the North America Swing of PGA TOUR Americas
• Played five seasons (2019-'24) at Baylor University where he recorded seven top-three finishes, highlighted by two victories (2021/Rice Intercollegiate, 2023/Valero Texas Collegiate); topped PGA TOUR member Jimmy Walker’s school record for career stroke average (71.45)

Additional player notes

• 36-hole leader Davis Chatfield (T2/9-under) establishes a new career-high 54-hole position (previous: T3/2024 Compliance Solutions Championship/finished T11).
• Three-time Korn Ferry Tour winner Pierceson Coody (T2/9-under), winner of the 2023 Panama Championship and one of three players in the field ranked inside the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking, ties the low round of the day with a bogey-free 5-under 65 and sits T2 after 54 holes for his second consecutive Korn Ferry Tour start (2025 The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island/finished T7).
  • Coody is bidding to become the third two-time winner of The Panama Championship (Vance Veazey, 2005 and 2009; Mathew Goggin, 2011 and 2015).
  • Coody is also bidding to become the second-youngest player in Korn Ferry Tour history to win four times (will be 25 years, 26 days of age Sunday), with the current record belonging to Michael Sim (24 years, 10 months).
• Trey Winstead (T4/8-under) ties his second-best career-high 54-hole position (best: first/2024 Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank/finished second) and sits inside the top five through 54 holes for the second time this season (T5/The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club/finished T7).
• Brandon Harkins (T4/8-under) sits inside the top five after 54 holes at The Panama Championship for the second consecutive year (3rd/2024 Panama Championship/finished T5).
• Third-year member Zach Bauchou (T4/8-under) establishes a season-high 54-hole position and eyes his second consecutive top-five finish at The Panama Championship (2024/T5).
• In his second start of the season, Austin Greaser (T20/4-under), who finished No. 3 in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking, ties the low round of the day in 5-under 65; his 15 birdies this week are tied for the most in the field (Zach Bauchou, S.H. Kim).
• The 36-hole cut was made Saturday morning at 1-over 141 upon the conclusion of the second round, with 65 players advancing to the final two rounds.