Jackson Koivun’s climb has been so quick it almost feels compressed. Not long ago, he was teeing it up for Auburn.
Now, at 21, he’s headed to Medinah as part of the U.S. Presidents Cup team after Brandt Snedeker used one of his six captain’s picks on the young star.
The selection gives Koivun one of the sport’s biggest stages just months into his professional career. He already showed he can handle the pressure, winning the 3M Open in only his third start as a pro. That week, he beat Scottie Scheffler by three shots and set the tournament scoring record at 25-under par.
Koivun kept backing that up after the win, too. He became the first PGA Tour University No. 1 or Accelerated graduate to reach the FedEx Cup Playoffs in the same season he accepted Tour membership.
Still, the leap to the Presidents Cup raised the obvious question: would Snedeker trust someone this young for a team event of this size?
Snedeker said he had a “gut feeling” about Koivun, and he stressed that the pick wasn’t about projecting what Koivun might become. In Snedeker’s view, Koivun is already one of the 12 best available American players.
Koivun will be one of three U.S. rookies at Medinah, and his selection puts him in rare company. He is the second-youngest American ever chosen for a Presidents Cup team, trailing only Jordan Spieth in 2013.
College golf a few months ago. A PGA Tour win this summer. Team USA in September.
For Koivun, the professional résumé is still just getting started, but the opportunities are arriving fast.