Jackson Koivun, the 21-year-old phenom who rocked the golf world by winning the 3M Open, got called “generational” by Team USA captain Brandt Snedeker this week. But hold up, don’t expect a guaranteed spot on the Presidents Cup roster for the young star, even with that kind of praise. Snedeker’s making it clear his picks are all about results, not just bringing in fresh faces.
Koivun’s Wild Ride to the Top of the Leaderboard
This kid’s story is something else. Koivun was an absolute beast as an amateur at Auburn, practically dominating everyone. He turned pro right after the U.S. Open, with huge expectations on his shoulders. After missing the cut at the John Deere, he bounced back with a top-10 finish at the ISCO Championship. Then he just went off, winning the 3M Open in Minnesota, taking down none other than world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. That win, in only his third career start, confirmed every bit of hype. Suddenly, the golf world was buzzing, and fans were instantly clamoring for him to be on the Presidents Cup team.
Snedeker’s Tough Call and High Praise
Snedeker actually played a practice round with Koivun and another rising star, Ben James, before the Wyndham Championship. Afterwards, Snedeker absolutely gushed about Koivun. He really said, “I don’t think my game has probably ever been as good as his. He’s a generational player. You look at every metric you want to look at. To do what he did in college, to do what he’s done as a professional, this kid’s really special.” That’s high praise from a captain. Snedeker also noted Koivun’s character, saying he’s “a great kid and he’s not going to stop pushing to be the best he can be.” But here’s the kicker: for all that adoration, Snedeker isn’t just handing out spots. He stressed that he won’t take a young player just to have a young player. His quote says it all: “I think the golf dictates who needs to be on the team. I’m not into, ‘oh, let’s just take a young kid because we need a young kid on the team.’ That doesn’t make any sense to me.”
The 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club is only 48 days out, and we’ve got just three events left before those six automatic qualifiers are locked in. After that, it’s all on Snedeker and International captain Geoff Ogilvy to make their six captain’s picks. Koivun’s got to keep delivering if he wants to force Snedeker’s hand. This is going to be good.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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