Jackson Koivun has emerged as one of the standout stories from the 2026 Presidents Cup after making a memorable impression during his first appearance at the biennial competition.
The 21-year-old entered Medinah as a rookie and one of Brandt Snedeker’s captain’s picks, but his rapid rise had already caught the attention of his Team USA teammates before the competition began.
Scottie Scheffler was among those who had plenty of praise for Koivun, having watched the former Auburn star make a remarkable transition from college golf to the professional game.
“It’s exciting to see him play some really good golf again, and he obviously proved that by going out and winning,” Scheffler said before the Presidents Cup. “It’s definitely a boost for the team for sure. We love seeing our guys have success.”
Koivun had given Scheffler another reason to take notice earlier in the season when he defeated the world No. 1 by three shots to win the 3M Open in just his third PGA Tour start.
That victory helped earn Koivun a place on Snedeker’s Presidents Cup team, just months after he had helped Auburn win another NCAA championship.
Despite his limited professional experience, Koivun showed little sign of being overwhelmed by the occasion at Medinah.
He teamed up with Justin Thomas in his Presidents Cup debut and immediately delivered a strong performance, helping Team USA collect an important point.
His composure continued as the week progressed, eventually setting up one of the most important moments of his Presidents Cup debut during Sunday’s singles.
Koivun faced Si Woo Kim with Team USA needing points as it attempted to overturn a 10.5-7.5 deficit heading into the final day.
After falling two holes behind, Koivun responded with a crucial run of three consecutive wins and eventually closed out a 2-and-1 victory.
The result became an important part of Team USA’s comeback as the Americans rallied to win the Presidents Cup for an 11th consecutive time.
Scheffler had already spoken about Koivun’s adjustment to the team environment before the competition, revealing that the young star did not require much advice from him.
“When he asks, yeah,” Scheffler said when asked if he had given Koivun any advice.
Scheffler added that Koivun was already comfortable around the team by the time he arrived for practice.
“He’s very new. He’s basically right out of school. I think the guys have done what they can to kind of make him feel comfortable in the team room. By the time I showed up to the practice session, he was already pretty comfortable. He didn’t need a whole lot from me.”
Koivun’s rapid rise has now taken another significant step. Only months after competing in college, he has gone from NCAA champion to PGA Tour winner and Presidents Cup player.
For Scheffler, his teammate’s success has provided another reason for optimism about the future of Team USA.
And after Koivun delivered when the pressure was at its highest at Medinah, the young American has made it clear that he is capable of handling the biggest stages in golf.