Jackson Koivun, just 24 days into his professional career, is already a winner on the PGA Tour. This 21-year-old rookie successfully fended off top-ranked Scottie Scheffler at TPC Twin Cities on Sunday afternoon, securing the 3M Open title and blowing the doors off what we thought a new pro could do.
This Kid Is Different: Record-Breaking Rookie Dominance
Koivun, who only shed his amateur status earlier this month after the U.S. Open, wasn’t just good, he was *flawless* in the final round. He fired a bogey-free 66, getting him to an astounding 25-under on the week. That didn’t just win him the tournament, it set a brand new tournament scoring record and nabbed him a three-shot victory in Blaine, Minnesota. Can you believe it? In only his third PGA Tour start as a pro, he pocketed a cool $1.584 million check, leading to a seriously emotional moment on the final green after his par save. Before turning pro, Koivun was the top-ranked amateur in the world, snagging two national team titles at Auburn and sweeping major awards. He even finished T23 at Shinnecock Hills and T10 at the ISCO Championship just weeks ago. This kid’s transition to the pros? It hasn’t bothered him one bit. He opened the week with a 64 on Thursday, then backed it up with a 68. Insane.
Scheffler Chased Hard, But Koivun Never Waited
Koivun built up his three-shot lead after a historic “Moving Day.” This rookie absolutely shredded his back nine on Saturday, posting a 28 for a tournament record on that half of the course, which led to a mind-blowing 10-under 61. That sent Koivun to 20-under on the week and put him way ahead of everyone else. Scheffler, who had been hanging around, was six back in a tie for ninth. But Scheffler wasted absolutely no time trying to narrow that gap, birdying his first hole of the day, then making three straight birdies at the turn to get within three. His putting game, which was plaguing him in Europe and cost him deep putts at the British Open, appeared to be back. But while Scheffler was cruising, Koivun was locked in. He stuck his approach on the first hole just about a foot from the cup for an early birdie. He hit a ridiculous 21 straight greens in regulation dating back to the third round before finally missing one. He pushed his lead to four after a perfect up-and-down save from the bunker at the par-5 12th. This guy simply never wavered.
Scheffler birdied the final hole to wrap up his 63 and get to 22-under on the week, cutting Koivun’s lead to two. But Koivun left himself with an eagle look at the 16th and settled for a simple birdie to extend his lead again. That solidified the win, even if he pulled out the shortest drive of the week at the 18th. For the first time all day, he finally looked relatable! Scheffler has now finished second five times this season. His putting looks better, which is a good sign, but the top-ranked golfer in the world still only has a single win this season, and that was back in January. If he can’t win again before the end of the year, that would be a shocking stat for the world’s number one. For Koivun? The tour better get ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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