Jackson Koivun wins the 3M Open in
his 3rd pro start, holding off Scottie Scheffler by 3 strokes
[July 27, 2026]
By DAVE CAMPBELL
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Jackson Koivun felt the nerves but never
flinched, securing his first PGA Tour win in the face of a strong
finish by the world's top-ranked player and clear fan favorite in
Scottie Scheffler.
Koivun won the 3M Open by three strokes Sunday in only his third
start as a professional, holding off Scheffler with a closing
5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total.
“All throughout the crowd I kept hearing, ‘Scottie’s coming.
Scottie’s coming,’” the 21-year-old Koivun said. “I just tried to
tune that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could.”
Scheffler, who played five groups ahead of Koivun, surged into
contention with a 63 but settled for his fifth runner-up finish this
season. His lone win this year was in his first start at The
American Express in California.
“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 at 20 under.
Koivun played a safe and steady game on a 97-degree afternoon at the
TPC Twin Cities, going bogey-free for the second straight day after
a 61 in the third round gave him a three-shot cushion after 54
holes. His par-saving putt on the 9th green after his approach
landed in the sand gave him an energy boost for the back nine.
“Might be the biggest putt I made all week,” Koivun said.
“Scoreboard was right there, and I saw exactly how I stood. If I
missed that, then I only had a two-shot lead — where last time I
checked I had a five-shot lead. So making that was huge for my
momentum.”
Lee Hodges held the previous 3M Open record, finishing at 24-under
260 in 2023.
Koivun, who became the fourth rookie winner this season, missed the
cut at the John Deere Classic in Illinois and tied for 10th at the
ISCO Championship in Kentucky earlier this month. He made 10 starts
as an amateur on tour events.
Earning $1,584,000 for his win in Minnesota, Koivun also jumped 124
spots in the FedEx Cup standings into 70th, the last place above the
cut for the playoffs with two regular season events remaining on the
schedule.
[to top of second column] |
Jackson Koivun kisses his trophy after winning the 3M Open golf
tournament at the Tournament Players Club Sunday, July 26, 2026, in
Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better over the past
couple years of being able to beat guys with my mentality,” said
Koivun, who broke the NCAA career record for per-round stroke
average (68.89) and helped lead Auburn to the national championship
last month. “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, who began the final round six shots back, needed a
collapse by Koivun to catch up. That never came.
Scheffler played a nearly flawless game, save for a 5-foot birdie
putt on the 14th hole that lipped in and out. As he was conducting
his post-match interview, Koivun birdied the 16th to go 25 under.
“Anytime you’re trying to win for the first time, it’s awfully
difficult, especially for a young guy coming out of college,”
Scheffler said. “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, before moving to Chapel
Hill, North Carolina, at age 17, got his start in the game on a
public nine-hole course. After hugging his father, George, on the
course, he got on a FaceTime call with his mother, Meghan, who was
unable to attend the tournament.
“She was crying,” Koivu said. “I was trying to make out a little bit
of what she said, but she kept saying how proud she was. Those two
are just my rocks.”
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
