Jackson Koivun Earns PGA Tour Card, but Will Return to Auburn

The Auburn sophomore earned PGA Tour membership by reaching the 20-point threshold in the PGA Tour University Accelerated Program. UNC's David Ford also earned Tour status.

Jackson Koivun has earned PGA Tour status, but will return to Auburn next year. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Jackson Koivun has earned his PGA Tour card, but his pro debut will have to wait.

The Auburn University sophomore finished T4 in stroke play at the NCAA individual championship to reach the 20-point threshold in the PGA Tour University Accelerated Program.  

The world’s second-ranked amateur, who last year became the first freshman to sweep college golf’s top awards, is the third player to earn his Tour card through the accelerated program, joining Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent and Florida State’s Luke Clanton, who will make their professional debuts at next week’s RBC Canadian Open. 

Koivun, however, will return to Auburn for his junior year, as he can accept Tour membership after his junior or senior year. 

“It feels good to go out and earn it by playing some golf, and what better place to do it than when you're surrounded by all your friends and teammates at the national championship,” Koivun said in a press release. “I love Auburn and I think college golf is in such a good spot right now. I feel like it's going to continually prepare me for the PGA Tour.”

Koivun won the Haskins Award (college golf’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy), Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award and Phil Mickelson Award as a freshman.

In addition, University of North Carolina senior David Ford has earned his Tour card by finishing first in the 2025 PGA Tour University Class. In this case, the top 25 seniors in the final PGA Tour U Ranking earned membership on the PGA Tour (No. 1), Korn Ferry Tour (Nos. 2-10) and PGA Tour Americas (Nos. 11-25) following the final round of the NCAA Championship.