American rookie Jackson Koivun won the 2026 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, on July 26, 2026, holding off world number one Scottie Scheffler by three strokes to claim his first PGA Tour victory in just his third start as a professional.
Koivun carried a three-stroke lead into Sunday after firing a 10-under 61 in the third round.
Rather than unraveling under pressure from a four-time major winner playing five groups ahead, Koivun played bogey-free golf over his final 36 holes, sealing the win with a 5-under 66.
How Koivun Repelled Scheffler Down the Stretch
Scheffler applied maximum stress by opening his back nine with three straight birdies, eventually adding two more in the final three holes to post an 8-under 63. But Koivun matched every punch with clutch putting and steady iron play.
During a tense back-nine stretch, Koivun faced a crucial test on the par-4 ninth hole after his approach landed in the sand. He calmly canned a 15-foot par save that he later called the biggest putt he made all week.
Jackson Koivun stated via the New York Post that the scoreboard was right there and he saw exactly where he stood, noting that if he had missed that putt, he would have had only a two-shot lead compared to the five-shot lead he had when he last checked, which made sinking it huge for his momentum.
As fans flooded the course, Koivun heard constant reminders of the pursuit behind him. Koivun mentioned after his victory that all throughout the crowd he kept hearing people say Scottie was coming. Koivun added that he simply tried to tune that out and keep playing the golf he knew he was capable of, which enabled him to sink some good putts down the stretch.
Koivun finished third in strokes gained putting at the event, holing all 51 of his putts inside 5 feet. Even after chunking his drive on the 18th hole, he recovered with a 249-yard poke into the fairway, wedging to 14 feet and converting the par save to secure the trophy.
The Record-Breaking Ascent of a College Star
Koivun’s victory caps a rapid transition from the amateur ranks. Having won 11 times in three seasons at Auburn University and helping lead the program to its second NCAA title in three years while breaking the NCAA career record for per-round stroke average at 68.89, Koivun earned his PGA Tour card with 42 PGA Tour University Accelerated points.
Auburn coach Nick Clinard observed that Koivun genuinely expected good things to happen to him. Legendary Florida coach Buddy Alexander went even further, noting that Jackson was the best putter he had ever seen, adding that his stroke was practically perfect and somewhat reminded him of someone named Tiger Woods.
The triumph in Minnesota made Koivun the fourth rookie winner on the PGA Tour this season. The victory earned him $1,584,000 and vaulted him 124 spots in the FedEx Cup standings to 70th, securing the final cutoff position for the playoffs with two regular-season events remaining.
Leaderboard and Scheffler’s Assessment
Scheffler secured his fifth runner-up finish of the season, noting that his contention felt “deceptive” because he played several groups ahead while Koivun managed the course’s easier scoring holes. Praising the new generation, Scheffler remarked that when you see the players coming out of college, they are truly very well prepared, even more so than his generation was when they turned professional.
| Golfer | Country | Score | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Koivun | United States | -25 (259) | 1st |
| Scottie Scheffler | United States | -22 | 2nd |
| Denny McCarthy | United States | -20 | T-3 |
| Brian Harman | United States | -20 | T-3 |
| Chandler Phillips | United States | -20 | T-3 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | Japan | -20 | T-3 |
Behind the leaders, Michael Kim captured attention earlier in the week by firing a 12-under 59 on Friday, though he ultimately settled into a tie for 10th after closing rounds of 70 and 69. With two events left before the postseason, Koivun’s immediate jump into the top 70 sets up a high-stakes closing stretch to his debut professional campaign.
