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And Just Like That, the PGA Tour’s Newest Star Is Born

Andy Nesbitt|
Jackson Koivun got his first PGA Tour win Sunday at the 3M Open.
Jackson Koivun got his first PGA Tour win Sunday at the 3M Open. | David Berding/Getty Images

A lot was expected of Jackson Koivun when he announced last month that he would be turning pro and joining the PGA Tour. The 21-year-old dominated at the collegiate level where he led Auburn to two national titles, won an astounding 11 individual events and took home every award a player could win.

Well, it turns out it Koivun didn’t need much time to show everyone that those expectations were warranted because on Sunday, in just his third start as a pro, he won his first PGA Tour event. He did it in style, too—beating Scottie Scheffler, who finished in second, by three shots. Hideki Matsuyama and Brian Harman, two veteran players who have won major championships, were a part of a group that finished five shots back in a tie for third.

It was pure domination by a kid who knows how to be absolutely unbeatable on a golf course. It’s what he’s done his whole life and it looks like it’s what he’s going to do a lot more of on the PGA Tour. Koivun didn’t let himself feel any pressure on Sunday. Instead, he shot a five-under 66 to win with a tournament-record score of 25-under par.

After his win Koivun was interviewed on the 18th green by CBS’s Amanda Balionis, who closed out their chat with a very direct question about the success he can have going forward in his career: “Is it fair to say it’s just the beginning?” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Koivun said.

Scheffler tried his best on Sunday to make the kid a little nervous down the stretch. The No. 1 player in the world shot an eight-under 63 and finished his round with a birdie on the par-5 18th. But it wasn’t enough to rattle Koivun. Not even close.

“All throughout the crowd I kept hearing, ‘Scottie’s coming. Scottie's coming,’” Koivun said after his win. “I just tried to tune that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could.”

Scheffler was rightfully impressed by what he saw from Koivun.

“Anytime you’re trying to win for the first time, it’s awfully difficult, especially for a young guy coming out of college,” Scheffler said. “I think that shows not only how talented of a player he is, but the mental strength he has as well.”

Koivun’s win on Sunday should do a few things for him. First, he’s now a must-watch player every week he tees it up. He moved up to 70th place in the FedEx Cup standings, which is the cutoff for the PGA Tour’s playoff events which start in the middle of August. If he gets in, he should be a factor in those.

But it should also get him on this year’s Presidents Cup team. In order for Koivun to make that squad he’d have to be a captain’s choice and Brandt Snedeker would be smart to do just that. Koivun should thrive in team events like the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup for years to come and there’s no better time to get him some experience on that stage than by putting him on the team that will face off against the International Team at Medinah in September.

Koivun’s physical talents are obviously built for big things but he’s also worked on his mental game recently and showed off that toughness over the weekend where he shot 61–65 to beat some of the best players in the world.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better over the past couple years of being able to beat guys with my mentality,” Koivun said. “Sometimes I watch guys hit on the range and I don’t feel like I’m the most talented out there, but if I can go out there and believe and use my brain to my advantage, then that’s definitely kind of like a superpower.”

His superpower is also being able to hit golf shots that not many other people can hit. His three-wood on the par-5 12th on Saturday set up an eagle that gave him the lead and was a shot that should be played on his highlight reel for years to come.

So how’d he celebrate his life-changing win? By fishing in the pond in front of the 18th green, of course.

Yeah, he’s going to be a problem in the best of ways for years to come.

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Andy Nesbitt
ANDY NESBITT

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.

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