Golf legend Jack Nicklaus has lauded the early success of emerging star Jackson Koivun, who secured his first professional victory at the 3M Open over the weekend. Koivun, 21, achieved this milestone in just his third PGA Tour start as a professional.
Nicklaus took to social media to express his admiration for Koivun's performance, noting the young golfer's composure under pressure. "We certainly knew Jackson Koivun was going to make an impression on the @pgatour, but we didn’t know how soon. And not sure we thought this soon!" Nicklaus wrote. He highlighted Koivun's ability to maintain his performance even when world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot a 63 in the final round. Koivun responded with a 65 to win by three strokes, a feat Nicklaus described as "pretty darn good for a young guy and pretty good for the game of golf."
"It’s refreshing to see the young guys come along. I love to see the new blood come in and enjoy success," Nicklaus added.
Koivun's victory at TPC Twin Cities came a mere 24 days after turning professional. He finished the tournament at 25-under par, setting a new scoring record for the event. Koivun's amateur and collegiate careers were also noteworthy, including two NCAA team titles with Auburn University and two Jack Nicklaus Awards. He also tied for low amateur at the 2026 U.S. Open.
Nicklaus, who was a member of The Bear's Club, congratulated Koivun on his first tour win, predicting it to be the start of a "terrific pro career."