Jackson Koivun, 21, captured his first PGA Tour title at the 3M Open on Sunday, carding a 5-under 66 in the final round to finish three strokes ahead of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. The victory came in Koivun's third career professional start and set a new tournament record with a 25-under 259 total.
Koivun maintained a steady performance throughout the final round at TPC Twin Cities, playing bogey-free for the second consecutive day. He entered Sunday with a three-shot lead after a third-round 61. A crucial par-saving putt on the 9th hole provided a significant momentum boost for the back nine, according to Koivun.
"All throughout the crowd I kept hearing, ‘Scottie’s coming. Scottie’s coming,’" Koivun said. "I just tried to tune that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could."
Scheffler, who played earlier in the day, mounted a charge with a final-round 63 but ultimately secured his fifth runner-up finish of the season. His only win this year was at The American Express in California. Scheffler acknowledged the growing depth of young talent on tour.
"We’re seeing a lot of really, really good young talent in the game today," Scheffler said. "When you see the guys come out of college, they’re really, really prepared, even more prepared than we were coming out."
Hideki Matsuyama, Brian Harman, Chandler Phillips, and Denny McCarthy tied for third place, each finishing at 20 under par.
The previous 3M Open record of 24-under 260 was held by Lee Hodges from 2023. Koivun's victory also marks him as the fourth rookie winner on tour this season. Earlier this month, he missed the cut at the John Deere Classic and tied for 10th at the ISCO Championship.
Koivun earned $1,584,000 for his win and climbed 124 spots in the FedEx Cup standings, currently sitting in 70th place. This position is the final spot above the playoff cut with two regular season events remaining.
"I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better over the past couple years of being able to beat guys with my mentality," Koivun stated. "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."
Scheffler began the final round six shots behind Koivun. Despite a nearly flawless round, including a birdie on the 16th, he couldn't overcome the deficit. Koivun birdied the 16th hole to reach 25 under as Scheffler was concluding his post-match interview.
"Anytime you’re trying to win for the first time, it’s awfully difficult, especially for a young guy coming out of college," Scheffler commented on Koivun's performance. "I think that shows not only how talented of a player he is, but the mental strength he has as well."
Koivun, who grew up in San Jose, California, and later moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, attributed his success to his mental fortitude. He spoke with his mother, Meghan, via FaceTime after the win, having embraced his father, George, on the course.
