Rising star Jackson Koivun turns ‘super power’ into first pro win

BLAINE, Minn. – On Sunday morning, Jackson Koivun woke up with a three-shot lead and prepared for the biggest round of his life.

But first, breakfast.

He was sitting with his father, George, as they had been all week. Jackson knows what everyone is saying – a rising star with all the hype and all the hype coming out of the top. He doesn’t like to pay attention to you, but sometimes it’s impossible to avoid.

“I wish people would tone it down a little bit,” he told his father, as he bit into a banana and sipped a protein shake. “Another day on the golf course.”

His father, recounting the conversation while watching his son at TPC Twin Cities on Sunday, said Jackson’s comments were about respect. There are a lot of good players on Tour, Jackson thought. Why should he get all this attention?

George says his son’s humility is his best trait. George says: “He’s got a little bit of sarcasm, but not too much.”

Others may see it differently – a stone-cold killer on the golf course who writes confidence, to trust again rule in his glove.

Golf the next big thing or rising star or a prodigy whatever fancy you want to throw out there – Koivun probably won’t like any of them – he officially introduced himself to the golf world on Sunday, or at least to those who didn’t know him.

The 21-year-old closed with a five-under 66 to finish 25 under and win the 3M Open to secure his first career PGA Tour victory, his 13th start and only his third as a professional. Oh, and he dodged a number of major leaguers, including the world’s best player, Scottie Scheffler, who was breathing down his neck all afternoon. Scheffler shot 63 and had to settle for second.

Koivun may not like all the attention, but he has to get used to it. The hype may be real.

GEORGE AND MEGHAN’S ONLY CHILDJackson started out on a nine-hole course in California, but soon became addicted to the game. His parents knew he had a special talent, but his father realized its full potential when they attended the Future Masters in Dothan, Ala., when Jackson was 14 years old. He was the only California kid to enter and win. George recalls a “full rainbow” of SEC coaches following him.

He chose Auburn, where he would go on to have the greatest college career in history.

In his first year on the team, Koivun won the Phil Mickelson Award (best rookie) and three major Player of the Year awards: Haskins, Hogan and Nicklaus. Auburn won its first NCAA championship.

“I think Jackson is mature beyond his years,” said Auburn assistant coach David Johnson, who flew to Minneapolis Sunday morning to watch the final round. “He was built for this life and he was built for this game. He knows what he wants in life and he shows it and he will get it.”

By the end of his sophomore season, Koivun had earned his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, where college players earn points toward tour membership, but decided to return for his junior season. He knew early on that it would be the last time.

He played the 2026 US Open as his final novice event and tied for 23rd, officially becoming the champion and missing the cut at the John Deere Classic. It was rare – in his seven PGA Tour starts last year, he finished in the top 11 four times, including a T4 at the Procore Championship, where he beat eight of the 10 US Ryder Cup players in the field. Two weeks ago, he tied for 10th at the ISCO Championship. This week he opened with 64-68 but took the lead on Saturday with a 61.

He wasted little time on Sunday as well. On the par-4 1st hole, Koivun stuck a wedge 17 inches from the cup and made birdie. He added birdies on 4 and 6, and at one point six players were tied for second. One was Scheffler – the game’s top player chasing his most promising kid.

World No. 1 shot three under on the front nine and birdied three straight on Nos. 10-12 to get to 20 under, three behind Koivun.

Those who know Koivun best say his top qualities are his positivity, consistency, mental game and fearlessness. But he also has all the guns and is known for his deadly putter, which he started showing off.

With Scheffler running up the leaderboard, Koivun made his first key save by rolling in a 15-foot par on the ninth, keeping the lead at three. A few holes later, Scheffler drained a 5-footer for birdie, and Koivun responded with a birdie on 12.

They go back and forth. Scheffler birdied 16 and 18 to shoot a 63 and lead the clubhouse at 22 under. It seemed impossible that anyone other than Koivun could hit it. The 21-year-old producer has a two-up lead with four holes remaining.

IF YOU ASK KOIVUNhe will tell you that his good character is different from what his father says.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better the last few years so I can beat guys with my mind,” he said. “Sometimes I watch guys do things and I don’t feel like I have the greatest ability, but if I can go out there and believe and use my mind to help, that’s like being super powerful.”

It’s not like Koivun doesn’t know how to win, but how do you prepare for Scottie Scheffler to fire you on Sunday?

On the 15th, Koivun found the fairway and had a stress-free par putt. On the 16th, a 301-yard par-4, Koivun drove the green for the second day in a row and made birdie. Seventeen? Simple measurement.

18 lead for three. All you have to do is avoid water. Seven shots to win. Then he became a man.

He hit the back of the ball on his shot and hit the shortest drive of the week (249 yards) on the finishing hole. Koivun covered his face with his hands. He lay back and hit the putt from behind the green and then hit his chip fat, leaving 14 feet for the par. It didn’t look good, but he had pictures to play.

“I definitely had some emotions going down on 18,” Kouvin said. “Throughout the crowd I kept hearing, ‘Scottie is coming! I just tried to shake it off and keep playing golf that I didn’t know I could do.'”

And since he didn’t make a bogey all weekend, he got that putt out and then changed. Fist pumping. Hands in the air. Hands run through his hair. He finally got emotional. He knelt down and dipped in.

“It’s never like you’re going to win until you make the putt, and that’s when all the emotions come to you,” he said. “I think I did a pretty good job this week of staying level, but I felt like that was the right time to show some emotion.”

Koivun can certainly be a star. But it’s also a lot to ask of anyone. Currently, he is still a PGA Tour winner. That’s a good place to start.

You can reach the author at joshua.berhow@golf.com.