Holding off a charging Scottie Scheffler on Sunday has become one of golf’s sharpest pressure tests. Jackson Koivun faced it in only his 3rd professional start. He heard spectators warning that the world No. 1 was closing. Every scoreboard confirmed it. Still, the rookie never surrendered control of the 3M Open.
Koivun closed with a bogey free 66 at TPC Twin Cities, finishing 25 under par and 3 shots clear of Scheffler. His 259 total established a tournament scoring record. More importantly, he survived the kind of final round that exposes every weakness in an inexperienced player.
Jim Nantz pushed Koivun directly into the Presidents Cup conversation during Sunday’s CBS telecast. The victory later lifted Koivun 38 places to No. 51 in the U.S. standings. Automatic qualification remains distant, but captain Brandt Snedeker now faces a decision that did not exist before Minnesota.
A Sunday That Changed Everything
Scheffler began the final round 6 shots behind Koivun. That margin looked comfortable until the game’s most relentless pursuer started piling up birdies.
Koivun answered before the chase could reach him. An 11 foot birdie putt on No. 4 stretched his advantage to 5 shots. Three holes later, he saved par from 4 feet and kept his card clean.
The defining moment arrived at No. 9.
Koivun stood over a 15 foot par putt with a scoreboard beside the green. He knew Scheffler had moved quickly through the field. A miss would have reduced the lead to 2 shots and sent the rookie toward the closing 9 with the world No. 1 pressing from ahead.
The putt dropped.
Koivun later identified it as his most important putt of the tournament. The save prevented Scheffler from cutting the margin to 2 and gave the rookie fresh momentum for the closing stretch.
Scheffler made 5 birdies across a 7 hole span. Koivun responded with another 11 foot birdie putt on No. 12, restoring a 4 shot advantage. That exchange defined the afternoon. Scheffler applied pressure. Koivun answered it.
“Jackson Koivun has to receive now strong consideration to be on the U.S. Presidents Cup team.”
Jim Nantz
One last test remained on No. 18. Koivun mishit his drive, but the ball stayed in the fairway. After missing the green, he chipped to 14 feet and converted the par putt. His fist pump carried more relief than celebration.
The numbers supported what the pressure had already revealed. Koivun completed the final 36 holes without a bogey. On Sunday, he missed only 1 fairway and converted all 3 scrambling opportunities. Scheffler shot 63 and still never moved closer than 2 strokes.
Auburn Prepared Koivun For Team Golf
Koivun’s professional record remains brief. His team golf background does not.
The former Auburn star won 11 college tournaments and helped the Tigers capture 2 NCAA team championships. During his final college season, he finished inside the top 6 in 12 of 13 starts and went 6 and 0 in match play.
Those results offer Snedeker something more useful than reputation. They show Koivun can handle an opponent directly across from him.
Presidents Cup golf asks different questions from a normal PGA Tour event. A player must respond to the opponent rather than simply chase a number. Partnerships add responsibility. Short putts become heavier when another player depends on the result.
Putting may provide Koivun’s strongest argument. He converted all 51 attempts from inside 5 feet at the 3M Open and ranked 3rd in strokes gained putting. That reliability matters in alternate shot and 4 ball, where 1 missed putt can damage both a match and a partnership.
Koivun also appears comfortable when a stronger name raises the pressure. Scheffler praised his talent and mental strength after finishing 2nd. Coming from the player who spent Sunday trying to chase him down, that assessment carries real weight.
Snedeker Cannot Ignore The Veterans
Koivun has forced his way into the discussion. He has not cleared the field.
Chris Gotterup, J.J. Spaun, Wyndham Clark, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Akshay Bhatia sit directly outside the automatic qualifying positions. Each owns a far stronger points total than Koivun. Several also bring major championship success or years of international team experience.
Clark owns a U.S. Open title. Thomas and Schauffele have spent years competing in Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups. Other candidates have built their cases across full PGA Tour seasons. Choosing Koivun could mean leaving a proven team player or established contender at home.
That is the dilemma Snedeker must solve.
The captain could trust the deeper records of players who have already faced international pressure. He could also take the hottest young American available, even though the standings have not had enough time to reflect his rise.
Koivun lacks the professional starts to rival the points totals of established players. Simply put, he has not had enough time to build a traditional résumé.
His limited record presents a genuine risk. Yet that same small sample means No. 51 may badly understate the level of golf he is playing now.
Taking him would carry risk. Leaving him home might carry just as much.
Every Remaining Start Becomes An Audition
The 3M Open victory awarded Koivun 500 FedEx Cup points in a single week. That haul moved him 124 places to No. 70 in the standings, directly on the playoff boundary. He also climbed from No. 206 to No. 73 in the world ranking.
One afternoon completely rewrote his rookie season.
Now he must support the breakthrough.
Another strong finish would show Snedeker that Minnesota was not an isolated week. Consistent iron play and putting would strengthen the match play argument. A deep playoff run could make Koivun nearly impossible to overlook.
Every remaining start is an audition. Snedeker must weigh Koivun’s current form against the experience of players who have spent years building stronger records.
Golf rarely hands a rookie a test this brutal. The world No. 1 attacked. Major champions waited behind him. A 54 hole lead suddenly carried national team consequences.
Koivun did not blink.
That does not guarantee him a Presidents Cup uniform. It does ensure Snedeker must now explain any decision to leave him home.
READ ALSO: Jackson Koivun’s Tournament Record 3M Open Win Sends Rookie Into Playoff Position
FAQs
Did Jackson Koivun win the 2026 3M Open?
Yes. Koivun finished at 25 under par and defeated Scottie Scheffler by 3 strokes for his first PGA Tour victory.
Where did Jackson Koivun move in the Presidents Cup standings?
Koivun rose 38 places to No. 51 in the U.S. standings after winning the 3M Open.
Can Jackson Koivun qualify automatically for the Presidents Cup?
He remains well outside the top 6 automatic positions. A selection from captain Brandt Snedeker offers his clearest route onto the team.
Why could Brandt Snedeker select Jackson Koivun?
Koivun brings current form, strong putting and extensive college match play experience. He also held off the world No. 1 under final round pressure.
How many FedEx Cup points did Koivun earn for winning?
Koivun earned 500 FedEx Cup points. The victory moved him to No. 70 in the standings and onto the playoff boundary.
Tracking stats and settling debates. If there is a scoreboard, I am watching it.
