My9Iron · Player Bio
Jackson Koivun
The most decorated college golfer of his generation, who won the 3M Open for his first PGA Tour title in just his third start as a professional.
Former No. 1-ranked amateur golfer in the world
2x NCAA team champion (Auburn)
3x SEC Player of the Year
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Quick Facts ·
Who He Is ·
Early Life ·
College Career ·
Turning Pro ·
3M Open ·
Clubs & Ball ·
Timeline ·
FAQ
Jackson Koivun at a Glance
Who Is Jackson Koivun?
Jackson Koivun is an American professional golfer widely regarded as one of the most decorated college players in NCAA history. He spent three seasons at Auburn University, where he swept every major national player-of-the-year award, led the Tigers to two national championships, and finished his college career with a 68.89 scoring average — recognized by Auburn as the lowest in NCAA history.
He turned professional in June 2026 after finishing his amateur career as the World No. 1-ranked player, and earned his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated pathway. In just his third professional start, he won the 2026 3M Open — a remarkable result for a player only weeks into his pro career, and his first PGA Tour title.
From a Par-3 Course in San Jose to Auburn
Koivun was born May 23, 2005, in San Jose, California, to George and Meghan Koivun. He is their only child, and he learned the game from his father, who introduced him to golf at a young age.
He started at the 9-hole par-3 course at Santa Teresa Golf Club before graduating to Cinnabar Hills Golf Club, where he developed his game under assistant pro Fred Garcia. He moved with his family to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, during high school, and was rated the No. 1 recruit in the golf class of 2023 by the American Junior Golf Association. (His specific high school is not confirmed by any source My9Iron has checked — not stated here.)
Before college, Koivun won the 2022 Rolex Tournament of Champions and the 2023 Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship, and represented the United States at the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup. His college recruitment drew offers from Duke, Illinois, North Carolina, Pepperdine, SMU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest — he chose Auburn after an eight-hour official visit left him telling his parents he didn’t want to go home.
One of the Most Decorated Careers in College Golf History
Koivun’s freshman season at Auburn, in 2024, is regarded as one of the best debut seasons in the sport’s history. He won the SEC Championship by six strokes, posted the lowest adjusted scoring average in the NCAA, finished runner-up at the NCAA individual championship, and led Auburn to its first-ever national team title. That season, he became the first college golfer to sweep the Ben Hogan, Haskins, Jack Nicklaus, and Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman awards in a single year.
He built on that over the following two seasons, becoming the first golfer in SEC history to win Player of the Year three times and the first player since LSU’s B.R. McLendon (1965–1967) to win three straight SEC individual titles. In 2026, he swept the Ben Hogan, Haskins, and Jack Nicklaus awards again — becoming the first college golfer to win all three more than once each — and led Auburn to its second national championship in three years.
His final college season, in 2025–26, was his best: six tournament wins and 12 top-10 finishes in 13 starts, including a 54-hole scoring record at the Amer Ari Invitational (25-under, by seven strokes) and a decisive medalist win at the 2026 SEC Championship that set the tournament scoring record. Along the way, he represented the United States at the 2024 and 2025 Arnold Palmer Cups and was part of the winning 2025 U.S. Walker Cup team at Cypress Point Club.
2x NCAA Team Champion
Led Auburn to national titles in 2024 and 2026.
3x SEC Player of the Year
The only golfer in SEC history to win the award three times.
Record Scoring Average
Finished his Auburn career with a 68.89 scoring average — the lowest in NCAA history, per Auburn.
World No. 1 Amateur
Earned the Mark H. McCormack Medal for finishing atop the World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2025.
He finished his Auburn career with 11 individual victories — the most in program history — along with 34 top-10 finishes and 87 rounds under par.
A Final Amateur Month, Then the Pros
Koivun actually earned his PGA Tour card a year before he used it. He crossed the qualifying points threshold for the PGA Tour University Accelerated pathway with a tie for fourth at the 2025 NCAA Championship — but instead of turning pro right away, he chose to return to Auburn for one more season, wanting to keep competing alongside his teammates and chase another national title.
That decision paid off: his final season delivered a second NCAA team championship and his third straight SEC individual title. His last month as an amateur then delivered a berth in the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, which he earned by finishing No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He made the cut and finished tied for 23rd — good enough for low-amateur honors and the USGA Silver Medal, and ahead of players including Rory McIlroy.
He turned professional immediately afterward and accepted the PGA Tour card he’d been holding onto since the spring before.
A Maiden Win in Just His Third Start as a Professional
Koivun’s first two events as a professional were a mixed start — including a missed cut — typical of a rookie adjusting to tour golf. His third start, the 2026 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, changed that narrative entirely: he won the tournament outright for his first PGA Tour title.
After a strong first two rounds, Koivun took over the tournament with a third-round 61 on Saturday, playing the back nine in a tournament-record 8-under 28 — highlighted by two eagles and capped by a 14-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole. The round moved him to 20-under for the tournament and gave him his first career 54-hole lead, three strokes clear of Emiliano Grillo and Ben Kohles, and six ahead of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Koivun held his three-shot cushion through the closing round, finishing at 25-under par to beat Scheffler, who charged with a final-round 63 but ran out of holes. Hideki Matsuyama, Brian Harman, Chandler Phillips, and Denny McCarthy tied for third at 20-under.
The win is Koivun’s first PGA Tour title — arriving in just his third professional start, weeks after he officially turned pro following the 2026 U.S. Open.
Things You May Not Know About Jackson Koivun
What Clubs Was Jackson Koivun Documented Using at the 2026 3M Open?
At the 2026 3M Open, Koivun was documented with Titleist equipment throughout nearly his entire bag. The dated setup below was cross-checked across multiple equipment outlets.
Driver: Titleist GT2, 8° — Fujikura Speeder 661 TR X
3-Wood: Titleist GTS3 Prototype, 15° — Graphite Design Tour AD DI 80g X
Irons: Titleist T250 (3-iron), Titleist T100 (4-iron), Titleist 620 MB Prototype (5–9) — Graphite Design Tour AD DI HY 95X (3-iron), Project X 6.5 (4–PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11, 46°/50°/54°/60° — Project X 6.5 (46°, 50°), Project X 6.0 (54°), Project X iO 6.0 (60°)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype — SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol GT grip
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Equipment evidence: The full setup above is the 2026 3M Open snapshot. A September 18, 2026 tour report later documented Koivun with a TaylorMade Qi4D 16.5° fairway wood at the Biltmore Championship. Its shaft and long-term status were not reported.
Why This Setup Fits His Game
The documented 3M Open setup blended more forgiving long-club profiles with compact scoring irons: a T250 3-iron, a T100 4-iron, and 620 MB Prototype heads from 5–9. It shows how a tour bag can combine different head designs for different roles instead of matching every iron.
See Jackson Koivun’s Full WITB
See Equipment Built for Your Own Swing
Koivun’s documented setup reflected his own speed and strike. You can still get matched to a driver, iron set, or golf ball built for your own swing.
Jackson Koivun’s Career Timeline
PGA Tour · 09-27-2026: Official footage follows Jackson Koivun through the final hole of his Sunday singles victory, completing an undefeated 2-0-1 Presidents Cup debut.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jackson Koivun
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You won’t play like a two-time NCAA champion, but you can still get matched to the driver, irons, and ball built for your own swing speed and game.