Jackson Koivun, one of College Golf’s top players, trying his craft on PGA Tour; Talking Golf segment on advice from Jack Nicklaus, national title at Auburn and college golfers turning pro

By Bert Leeson

 

Jackson Koivun (courtesy PGA Tour)

 

Jackson Koivun PGA Tour Talking Golf June 2024.mp3

FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Jackson Koivun (born May 23, 2005) is an American amateur golfer. He is currently attending Auburn University, where he as a freshman had one of the best seasons in collegiate golf history. In 2024, he won the SEC Championship, was runner-up at the NCAA Division I Men’s Individual Championship, and became the first player ever to sweep all four major collegiate awards in the same season, the Haskins Award, Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award and Phil Mickelson Award.

AMATEUR CAREER

Koivun enrolled at Auburn University in 2023 and started playing with he Auburn Tigers men’s golf team, where he as a freshman he recorded one of the best seasons in collegiate golf history. He won the SEC Championship by six shots and only finished outside the top-six once in 13 starts, and had the lowest adjusted scoring average (67.3) in Division I. He finished in a tie for second at the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Individual Championship, and led the Auburn team to win the national title.

He was 7–0 in matchplay over the season, leading Auburn to 10 tournament victories, and was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year. He became the first player to win all four major collegiate awards, the Haskins Award, Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award and Phil Mickelson Award, in the same season.

Koivun made his PGA Tour debut in the 2024 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, having earned a spot through winning the Jack Nicklaus Award. He made the cut and earned his 15th point in the PGA Tour University Accelerated Program, five points shy of the 20-points that will earn him a PGA Tour card and join Gordon Sargent, the first golfer to reach the threshold.

Following his freshman season with Auburn University, Koivun was the third-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, behind Gordon Sargent, and Christo Lamprecht.

Jackson Koivun during match between Auburn and Vanderbilt, 9 27 2023 (courtesy IMAGN, photo by Jamie Holt of Auburn Athletics via USA Today Sports)