Scottie Scheffler walked off the 18th green with a 63 on his card and a clubhouse score of 22 under. Jackson Koivun still had work left, and everyone around TPC Twin Cities made sure the rookie knew who was chasing him.
Spectators passed along updates as the world No. 1 climbed the leaderboard. Koivun’s 3 shot advantage no longer looked comfortable. Scheffler had completed the kind of Sunday charge that can expose every loose swing and poor decision.
Koivun never gave him the opening.
Birdies at 12 and 16 kept Scheffler at a distance. Koivun protected the lead through the final holes and signed for a bogey free 66. His 25 under total established a 72 hole tournament scoring record and secured a 3 shot victory in only his 3rd start as a professional.
The win also delivered a 2 year Tour exemption, a Masters invitation, and an immediate place on the FedEx Cup playoff bubble.
Scheffler Forced Koivun To Keep Scoring
Scheffler began Sunday 6 shots behind the leader. He made 3 birdies on the opening 9, then added 3 more at 10, 11, and 12. Birdies at 16 and 18 completed an 8 under round and established the target Koivun had to beat.
Koivun had played the front 9 in 3 under, but Scheffler’s run removed any chance of simply protecting the lead. The rookie needed to stay aggressive without forcing shots.
A birdie at the par 5 12th steadied the round. Koivun then saved par at 14 while Scheffler completed his charge several holes ahead.
“All throughout the crowd I kept hearing, ‘Scottie’s coming, Scottie’s coming,’” Jackson Koivun said.
The pressure followed Koivun to the reachable par 4 16th. He drove the green from 300 yards and left himself about 70 feet for eagle. His first putt stopped close enough for a simple birdie, pushing him to 25 under and restoring a 3 shot margin with 2 holes remaining.
Koivun Closed Without Giving Scheffler Another Chance
A routine par at 17 took Koivun to the final hole with the tournament under control. He still needed to finish a round played under pressure from the best golfer in the world.
Koivun missed the fairway at 18 and chose not to chase an unlikely recovery. He returned the ball to position, played toward the green, and gave himself a final chance to save par.
The putt dropped. Koivun raised his fist as the crowd responded around the green.
That closing 63 par completed his final 42 holes without a bogey. Scheffler had produced the lowest round among the leading contenders, but Koivun never allowed the gap to fall below a point he could manage.
He did not answer Scheffler with reckless aggression. Instead, Koivun found birdies when the lead tightened and accepted pars when the situation demanded restraint. That balance separated his Sunday from the usual rookie breakthrough built around one hot stretch.
Saturday’s 61 Gave Koivun Room To Respond
Koivun reached the final round through 3 days of sustained scoring.
He opened with a 64 and followed it with a 68. Saturday changed the tournament. Koivun shot 61, made 2 eagles, and covered the back 9 in a tournament record 28. The round pushed him to 20 under and created a 3 shot lead.
His scores of 64, 68, 61, and 66 produced a total of 259, beating the previous 3M Open scoring record by 1 shot. Saturday revealed how quickly Koivun could separate from the field. Sunday tested whether he could remain steady once Scheffler started closing the distance.
Koivun’s Auburn record offered some evidence that he would be ready. He earned SEC Player of the Year and All American honors during each of his 3 college seasons. He also contributed to 2 national championships before turning professional ahead of the John Deere Classic.
College success did not make Sunday inevitable. It simply meant Koivun had spent years playing from the front and carrying expectations. At TPC Twin Cities, he showed those habits could survive at the highest level.
The Playoff Chase Begins Immediately
Koivun entered the 3M Open at No. 194 in the FedEx Cup standings. The 500 points awarded for the victory lifted him 124 places to No. 70, the final qualifying position for the FedEx St. Jude Championship at the time.
His world ranking made a similar jump. Koivun climbed from No. 206 to No. 73 after beginning his final amateur appearance at the United States Open ranked No. 260. He tied for 23rd there, then finished tied for 10th at the ISCO Championship before winning in Minnesota.
The victory secured Koivun’s PGA Tour status for the next 2 seasons. His playoff place remains less certain.
Only 2 regular season events were left after the 3M Open, and players immediately behind him still had opportunities to collect points. No. 70 gave Koivun control of his position, not permission to relax.
Sunday answered whether he could finish with Scheffler chasing. The next 2 weeks will ask a different question.
Koivun now has to protect the position his 1st victory created.
READ ALSO: Why Lucas Glover Really Took His Shoes Off at the 3M Open
FAQs
Who won the 2026 3M Open?
Jackson Koivun won by 3 shots after closing with a 66. He finished at a tournament record 25 under par.
How many professional starts had Jackson Koivun made?
The 3M Open was Koivun’s 3rd start as a professional and his 13th career PGA Tour appearance overall.
Did Jackson Koivun beat Scottie Scheffler?
Yes. Scheffler shot a final round 63, but Koivun finished 3 shots ahead to claim the title.
How did the win affect Koivun’s FedEx Cup position?
Koivun climbed 124 places from No. 194 to No. 70, which was the final playoff qualifying position at the time.
What did Koivun earn for winning the 3M Open?
The victory gave Koivun a 2 year PGA Tour exemption, a Masters invitation and 500 FedEx Cup points.
Tracking stats and settling debates. If there is a scoreboard, I am watching it.
