Jackson Koivun withstands Scottie Scheffler's charge and wins the 3M Open with a record score
Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota, claiming his first PGA Tour victory in only his third start since turning professional. The 21-year-old American finished the tournament at 25 under par, set a new tournament record and preserved a three-stroke advantage over world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Koivun played the final round at TPC Twin Cities on July 26, 2026, in 66 strokes, five under par, without a single bogey. His total score of 259 strokes was enough for a convincing victory, although Scheffler applied strong pressure on his young rival down the stretch with a round of 63. According to the official PGA Tour standings, Scheffler finished at 22 under par, while Hideki Matsuyama, Brian Harman, Chandler Phillips and Denny McCarthy shared third place at 20 under. Koivun also surpassed the previous 3M Open record set by Lee Hodges in 2023, when he completed the tournament at 24 under par.
The victory came only a few weeks after Koivun concluded an exceptionally successful amateur and collegiate career and accepted PGA Tour membership. His professional debut at the John Deere Classic in early July ended with a missed cut, but he tied for tenth in his very next appearance at the ISCO Championship. His third tournament brought him a title, a record and one of the most memorable stories of the closing part of the season.
A composed final round under pressure from the world number one
Koivun began the final day with a three-stroke lead, but he knew that behind him was a group of experienced winners and players accustomed to the biggest stages. Scheffler, the leading golfer in the world rankings, represented a particular threat. He was making his first appearance in Minnesota and entered the final round six strokes behind the leader. Such a deficit was not insurmountable on a course suited to low scoring, and Scheffler made it clear from the start that he intended to attack.
Koivun, however, chose a disciplined approach. A birdie on the first hole immediately gave him confidence, while another gained stroke on the fourth prevented Scheffler's early progress from producing a serious change at the top of the leaderboard. On the sixth hole, one of the par-five sections, Koivun added another birdie and completed the front nine in 32 strokes. According to his official scorecard, he made birdies on the 12th and 16th holes over the final nine, while preserving par on all the others.
That style of play was not spectacular in terms of relentless attacking, but it was almost flawless. Koivun completed a round without a bogey for the second consecutive day, which proved decisive at a time when the temperature in Blaine was around 36 degrees Celsius and the pressure on every shot was increasing. He did not create an opening for a major comeback, did not take unnecessary risks and did not allow the sight of Scheffler's score to knock him out of rhythm. When he safely made par on the final hole, the three-stroke margin confirmed that the young American had successfully endured the toughest test of his short professional career.
Scheffler completed his part of the task almost perfectly. His closing 63, eight under par, was the best score among the leading players on the final day and demonstrated why the American has been the standard of consistency at the top of world golf for years. Nevertheless, his powerful charge was not enough because Koivun responded without any major fluctuations. The difference between the two remained equal to Koivun's advantage at the start of the day, which best illustrates how composed the winner remained despite Scheffler's pressure.
A round of 61 laid the foundations for the title
The key to the victory was Koivun's performance on Saturday, when he completed the third round in 61 strokes, ten under par. According to the PGA Tour report, that moved him into the lead at a total of 20 under and established a tournament record with a score of 28 on the final nine holes. During that closing stretch, he made two eagles and a series of birdies, with a particularly memorable moment arriving on the 18th hole, where an iron shot from approximately 213 metres set up a closing eagle.
That round changed the course of the tournament. Koivun had been in a strong position after the first two days thanks to rounds of 64 and 68, but Saturday's 61 transformed him from one of the contenders into the clear leader. His scores by round were 64, 68, 61 and 66, and the total of 259 strokes became the new standard at the 3M Open. It was especially significant that he did not make a single bogey over the final 36 holes, even though he was competing for his first professional title and facing pressure from the strongest possible pursuer.
The tournament had produced exceptionally low scores even before the final weekend. Michael Kim shot a 59 in the second round, one of the rare sub-60 rounds in PGA Tour history, demonstrating how much the conditions permitted aggressive play and a large number of birdies. In such a tournament, the leading player cannot expect the competition to stop advancing on its own. Koivun therefore had to continue gaining strokes even after his record-breaking Saturday, and his five birdies without a dropped stroke on Sunday were exactly what was required for victory.
TPC Twin Cities, a course in the city of Blaine north of Minneapolis, was set up for the tournament as a par 71 measuring approximately 6,795 metres. The course was designed by Arnold Palmer and Tom Lehman, and the 3M Open has been held there since 2019. Its wide playing areas and reachable par-five holes can reward accurate and long shots, but water and strategically placed hazards punish a loss of control. Koivun's combination of attacking play in the third round and more cautious, precise golf down the stretch proved ideal for such a layout.
From leading amateur to PGA Tour winner
Koivun's rise did not begin suddenly in Minnesota. Before turning professional, he was the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and one of the most successful collegiate golfers of his generation. According to university records, he earned 11 individual victories at Auburn University and won six times in his final ten collegiate appearances. He also helped Auburn win two national team titles and received the most important American awards in collegiate golf during his career, including the Haskins, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus awards.
He secured PGA Tour membership through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, which is designed for exceptional collegiate players who collect points through results, awards and appearances in the biggest competitions. He reached the threshold required for immediate access to the Tour as early as 2025, but decided to remain at Auburn for an additional season. He accepted professional status after the 2026 U.S. Open, where he tied for 23rd place and shared the honor of being the tournament's leading amateur.
That background explains why his victory at the 3M Open, although exceptionally early, was not entirely unexpected. Even as an amateur, Koivun had already achieved high finishes against professionals, including a series of top-12 results at PGA Tour events during 2025. His game had long been viewed as ready for the highest level, but the transition to professional golf still brings a different kind of pressure: status, earnings, points and scheduling are no longer additional experience, but an everyday occupation. In Minnesota, he showed that he had adapted to that change almost immediately.
The manner in which the victory was achieved gives it particular significance. Young players sometimes claim their first title by coming from behind, without spending a long time waiting at the top of the leaderboard, but Koivun had to defend his lead throughout the entire final round. Behind him was not an anonymous rival, but Scheffler, the world number one and a golfer known for punishing even the slightest lapse in concentration. Koivun did not merely outperform numerous established names, but maintained control of the tournament in a direct, high-pressure situation.
A victory that transforms his professional position
In addition to its sporting significance, the 3M Open title gives Koivun immediate security on the PGA Tour. The tournament had a prize fund of 8.8 million US dollars, with the winner receiving 1,584,000 dollars. Scheffler earned 959,200 dollars for second place. Victory in a regular PGA Tour tournament also brings a full allocation of FedExCup points and multi-year winner status, allowing the young player to plan his schedule without the uncertainty associated with gaining entry into individual events.
That shift is especially important because Koivun began his professional career during the closing part of the regular season. After missing the cut in his first appearance, he did not have much time to collect points gradually, but a tie for tenth at the ISCO Championship and the victory in Minnesota completely changed his position. Instead of fighting to confirm his status, he can now focus on competing against the best players and developing his game through a full schedule.
The result is also important for the broader picture of the PGA Tour. In recent years, collegiate programs and the PGA Tour University system have accelerated the transition of the best amateurs into the professional ranks, meaning that players arrive better prepared for the highest level than before. Koivun's case is one of the most convincing examples of that process: he earned membership through his collegiate results, gained experience in professional tournaments while still an amateur and then won less than a month after officially turning professional.
For Scheffler, second place is another demonstration of his high level of form, although the final round will remain marked by a missed opportunity to turn a major comeback into victory. His 63 would have been enough to complete a comeback against most leaders, but Koivun did not offer him an error to exploit. The other title contenders also played well: Matsuyama, Harman, Phillips and McCarthy finished five strokes behind the winner, confirming how high the standards were at the top of the leaderboard.
Koivun leaves Minnesota as a PGA Tour winner, a tournament record holder and a player whose professional development is no longer viewed merely as a promise for the future. His Saturday explosion demonstrated his attacking potential, while Sunday's bogey-free round revealed the equally important ability to manage pressure. In only four days, he combined the two different types of golf required to win major tournaments: aggression when an opportunity arises and discipline when a lead must be defended.
Sources:
- PGA Tour – final-round report, final score and key details of the victory (link)
- PGA Tour – official 3M Open standings and results from all rounds (link)
- PGA Tour – third-round report and information about Koivun's 61 and record score of 28 on the final nine holes (link)
- Auburn University Athletics – information about Koivun's collegiate career and transition to the professional ranks (link)
- PGA Tour – information about membership through PGA Tour University Accelerated and his professional debut (link)
- 3M Open – official media materials and information about the tournament and the TPC Twin Cities course (link)
- Yahoo Sports / Golf Channel – prize fund and distribution of prize money among the leading players (link)