The golf world received a firsthand look at Jackson Koivun’s immense potential on Saturday at the 3M Open.
The rookie sensation and former college star fired a bogey-free 10-under 61, using a blistering back-nine 28 to seize a three-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round. His 28 established a new tournament record and vaulted him to 20-under par.
Koivun’s charge was fueled by a pair of eagles on the back nine, first at the par-5 12th and again on the closing par-5 18th. Combined with a series of clutch birdies, the explosive finish transformed a crowded leaderboard into one.
Koivun began the third round four shots behind Michael Kim, who stole the headlines on Friday with the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history after firing a remarkable 59.
For much of Saturday, Koivun struggled to gain any momentum. That changed at the demanding ninth hole, where he produced a spectacular approach from the rough that led to a momentum-building birdie. The shot seemed to ignite his round.
From there, the 21-year-old shifted into another gear. He turned in 2-under before unleashing a historic back-nine charge, playing his final nine holes in 8-under par to transform himself from a chaser into the tournament leader. By the time his final putt dropped, Koivun had authored one of the most memorable rounds in 3M Open history.
“I definitely felt some nerves, started to see my name as leading, then all of a sudden I par two holes and I’m right back tied,” Koivun said after his round on CBS. “Just kind of had a good mental check that you gotta keep the pedal down, especially on a golf course like this where you can make a lot of birdies.”
Saturday’s performance was another milestone in what has been a rapid rise for Koivun. The 21-year-old is making just his third start as a fully exempt PGA Tour member after earning his card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program.
His professional debut came earlier this month at the John Deere Classic, where he missed the cut, but he quickly rebounded with a tie for 10th at the ISCO Championship. Koivun also showed he could compete on golf’s biggest stage by making the cut at this year’s U.S. Open, finishing tied for 23rd in just his second career major championship.
Before turning professional, Koivun built one of the most decorated collegiate careers in recent memory at Auburn. He became the first player in history to win college golf’s three most prestigious individual honors—the Jack Nicklaus Award, the Ben Hogan Award and the Fred Haskins Award—twice, cementing his status as one of the game’s brightest young talents.
Despite Koivun’s electric Saturday, Ben Kohles and Emiliano Grillo begin Sunday’s final round tied for second, three shots off the lead, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits six back.
Now, just one round separates Koivun from what would be a breakthrough PGA Tour victory—and the biggest moment of his young professional career.