Jackson Koivun enters Wyndham Championship on FedExCup bubble after breakthrough victory

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jackson Koivun's phone was on fire the Sunday night after his win at the 3M Open.

The 21-year-old, who had recently completed his junior year at Auburn, held off none other than world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to win in just his third start as a pro. The golf world took notice, of course, but so did all of Tiger nation.

“Some big Auburn legends either reposted me on Instagram or shot me a text,” Koivun said. “It was cool to see some recognition from some people that I might not think would know much about who I am.”

Anyone in particular? Koivun allowed himself a quick smile.

“Seeing Bo Jackson repost my story, repost my win was pretty cool,” he said. “Obviously he's one of the greatest athletes to ever play, just a huge Auburn legend.”

The victory vaulted Koivun from 194th to 70th in the FedExCup standings, which is where he remains this week at the Wyndham Championship, the final event before the FedExCup Playoffs. He’s the bubble boy – 11.512 points ahead of Mac Meissner.

But as meteoric a rise as Koivun’s has been – remember, he’s only played in four events as a pro since accepting his card through PGA TOUR University Accelerated and now he’s on the cusp of making the Playoffs – it’s a leap he always felt capable of making.

“I had full faith that I was going to be able to give myself a shot at the Playoffs, that was never out of the picture in my mind,” Koivun said. “Obviously the win at 3M really boosted that, but I still felt like I could go out there and play some good golf and give myself a chance.”

The Californian has also inserted his name among the contenders for a spot on the U.S. Team that will play in the Presidents Cup next month. He’ll need to make the Playoffs on Sunday, and continue to play well, but he’s definitely in the conversation for Medinah Country Club.

“I definitely hear it and I appreciate all the kind words people have to say about me,” Koivun said. “I know there's a lot of chatter about certain teams and things I might be able to accomplish.

“But at the end of the day I like to tell myself good golf takes care of everything, so I can just kind of tune that out and just go enjoy being out here on the PGA TOUR. I should be able to accomplish some of my goals.”

U.S. Captain Brandt Snedeker joined Koivun and his good friend Ben James for their regular practice round at Sedgefield Country Club on Tuesday. It was the second time he’d played with Koivun but the first since he was 18 years old, and he said the growth and maturation he saw was impressive, calling him a “generational” player.

“I think putting a limit on where this kid can go would be stupid because I don't think he knows how good he can be yet, but I'm very impressed,” Snedeker said. “I think he's a great kid. He's great for the TOUR. I think he embodies everything you want as a young star out here and I look forward to watching him play. It's going to be fun. He's way better than I was at his age, even when I got 26 and got on Tour. I expect great things from him.”

At the same time, Snedeker stressed he’s probably looking seriously at 20 or 22 players who have a chance to make the U.S. squad at Medinah, and he called the competition essentially “wide open.”

“The golf's going to dictate what happens from here,” Snedeker said.

Koivun, for his part, is up for the challenge. And he was glad for the opportunity to play with the U.S. captain.

“It's hard not to think about it like that, but just try to take it one day, one shot at a time,” Koivun said. “If I can go out there and play like I did at 3M and play like I know I'm capable, hopefully I can put together a nice audition tape for Sneds.”

First things first, though, Koivun, who tied for fifth at the Wyndham last year as an amateur, needs to remain in the top 70 in the FedExCup standings to book his trip to Memphis and the FedEx St. Jude Championship next week. The key is staying focused after realizing a lifelong dream.

Koivun is also adjusting to life on – and off – the TOUR.

Yes, he went to see “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” earlier this week as he works to find that work-life balance. And he’s been recognized at the airport “sometimes when I’m carrying golf clubs.” But he’s still finding his way around Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and his new home at the Bear’s Club , which he moved into in June.

Did he expect success to come so quickly, though?

“I ‑‑ I'm not quite sure.” Koivun said. “It's like there's no lack of faith in my mind that I can come out here and win, but doing it in three events, I wouldn't say it's surprising, it's just like it hasn't quite set in. It's like kind of shocking almost. I try to go into every tournament thinking I can win, but you know when you've got great players competing and playing well behind you, you're definitely testing yourself and pushing yourself to the limits and seeing how much work you put in and how that's paying off.

“So definitely a relief, but it's kind of a loaded question.”