Koyvun, the New Hope of American Golf, Wins PGA Title in Just Three Pro Starts

A Star Is Born: 2005-Born Koyvun Wins in Just His Third Pro Tournament
Swept Major Individual Honors as an Auburn Freshman in 2024
Praised for Scoring Runs, Putting Prowess, and Mental Control

The U.S. golf world is paying close attention to the emergence of a new star—Jackson Koivun of the United States. Already, there is talk locally of him being the "successor to Tiger Woods." Having reached the top of the PGA Tour immediately after turning professional, Koivun has rapidly risen as the next-generation star that American golf has been awaiting.

On July 27 at TPC Twin Cities (par 71) in Blaine, Minnesota, Koivun secured a three-shot victory at the PGA Tour’s 3M Open, which had a total prize purse of $8.8 million. The winner’s prize was $1,584,000—approximately 2.3 billion won. Achieving his first win in just his third professional tournament appearance, he instantly became the new face of the PGA Tour.

Born in May 2005, Koivun is 21 years old. He was born in San Jose, California, and moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, during high school. He learned golf from his father, George, as a child and is well known for the story that he beat his father at the age of seven. Even as an amateur, he showed early promise, once revealing that his favorite movie is "Guardians of the Galaxy" and his favorite food is pizza.

Jackson Koivun predicted the birth of a superstar by winning the 3M Open, his third tournament since his PGA Tour debut. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Before entering college, he was recruited by prestigious American universities including Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and Wake Forest University, but he declined all these offers and chose Auburn University instead—a decision that turned out to be a pivotal moment in his golf career.

As a freshman at Auburn in 2024, he recorded a scoring average of 69.48—setting the school’s all-time freshman low. He swept honors including the Ben Hogan Award, the Jack Nicklaus Award, the Fred Haskins Award, and the Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award, dominating collegiate golf. He was the first player ever to win all of these awards in a single season.

That same year, at the NCAA Championship, Koivun led Auburn to its first-ever team title by winning all three of his match play bouts. He also earned Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year honors for three consecutive years from 2024 to 2026, and captured 11 individual titles.

In June 2025, he reached No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and received the Mark H. McCormack Medal. That February, at the NCAA Division I Ahmed Ari Invitational, he shot a 36-hole total of 20-under-par 122, breaking Tiger Woods’ previous record from 1996 (18-under-par 126) after 30 years.

Jackson Kyvin is smiling while holding the trophy right after winning the 3M Open. Blaine=AP Yonhap News Photo by Blaine

This year as well, Koivun won six college tournaments and then secured his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, turning professional right after last month’s U.S. Open. In only his third tour appearance, the 3M Open, he claimed his first victory, overtaking world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

American golf has long awaited a new superstar to follow Woods. While Jordan Spieth once drew attention as the "post-Tiger" hope, he has recently slumped, increasing the hunger for a new marquee star. Locally, expectations for Koivun are growing, with many viewing him as "the player to lead the future of American golf."

Koivun’s greatest strength is his balance between offense and defense. He is lauded for possessing both tremendous length—up to 380 yards off the tee—and strong short game and putting skills. During the third round of the 3M Open, he eagled both the par-5 12th and 18th holes, carding a career-best 10-under-par 61. He managed bogey-free rounds all four days, and on the back nine of the third round alone, he posted a score of 28, demonstrating remarkable focus.

Jackson Koivunen is cheering after sinking the winning birdie in the final of last month's NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship. Carlsbad=AFP Yonhap News Photo

His putting, in particular, has been considered top-class since his college days. Whereas Woods needed 19 tournaments after turning pro to notch his first win, Koivun triumphed in just his 13th overall tournament, counting his amateur appearances.

His strong mentality is also considered a major asset. In this 3M Open, he maintained his composure despite the challenge from Scheffler. With five birdies in the final round, he completed his first PGA Tour victory. The American golf world now holds high hopes for his continued development.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.