Jackson Koivun wins 3M Open on PGA Tour debut season, beats Scottie Scheffler
Synopsis
A 21-year-old in only his third professional start just outdueled the world's top-ranked golfer to set a tournament record. Jackson Koivun's 3M Open win is the most striking rookie breakthrough of the PGA Tour season — and it came with FedExCup Playoffs qualification hanging in the balance.
Key Takeaways
Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota on 27 July in only his third professional start .
He finished at a tournament-record 25-under 259 , winning by three strokes over world No.
1 Scottie Scheffler .
Scheffler shot a 63 in the final round but settled for his fifth runner-up finish of the season.
Hideki Matsuyama , Brian Harman , Chandler Phillips , and Denny McCarthy tied for third at 20-under .
Koivun earned $1,584,000 and jumped 124 spots to 70th in the FedExCup , securing a Playoffs berth with two events to spare.
Indian-origin Sudarshan Yellamaraju missed the cut; Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala did not start.
Rookie Jackson Koivun claimed his first PGA Tour title at the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota on 27 July, holding off world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to win by three strokes with a tournament-record 25-under 259 total. The 21-year-old sealed the victory in only his third professional start, making it one of the most striking rookie breakthroughs of the PGA Tour season.
How Koivun Won
Koivun closed with a 5-under 66 on a hot afternoon at TPC Twin Cities, going bogey-free for the second consecutive day. A crucial par-saving putt on the 9th green — after his approach found the sand — steadied his nerves heading into the back nine. He later described it as the biggest putt of his round.
His 61 in the third round had already given him a three-shot cushion after 54 holes, and he managed the pressure of a charging Scheffler with composure well beyond his years. 'All throughout the crowd I kept hearing, 'Scottie's coming. Scottie's coming,' Koivun said. 'I just tried to tune that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could.'
Scheffler Falls Short Again
Scottie Scheffler, playing five groups ahead of Koivun, surged into contention with a brilliant 63 but ultimately settled for his fifth runner-up finish of the season. His sole victory in 2025 came in his opening start at The American Express in California. The result underlines a pattern: Scheffler has been consistently in contention but unable to convert on Sundays this year.
Leaderboard and Indian Connections
Four players — Hideki Matsuyama, Brian Harman, Chandler Phillips, and Denny McCarthy — tied for third at 20-under. Indian-origin player Sudarshan Yellamaraju missed the cut, while Hero-backed Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala did not start this week.
Records Broken and Stakes Raised
Koivun's 25-under 259 total surpassed the previous 3M Open record of 24-under 260 set by Lee Hodges in 2023. He became the fourth rookie winner of the PGA Tour season, having previously missed the cut at the John Deere Classic in Illinois and tied for 10th at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky earlier this month. He had also made 10 starts as an amateur in Tour events before turning professional.
Koivun earned $1,584,000 for the victory and jumped 124 spots in the FedExCup standings to 70th — the last position above the Playoffs cut line — with two regular-season events remaining. The timing could not have been more critical for his season.
Point of View
But it also exposes Scheffler's curious inability to close on Sundays this season. Five runner-up finishes for the world's best player is a statistical anomaly that deserves scrutiny. For Koivun, the $1.58 million and a FedExCup Playoffs spot are transformative, but the real test is whether a game built on steadiness — not fireworks — holds up when opponents have more data on him. The Indian golf ecosystem, meanwhile, should note that Yellamaraju, Bhatia, and Theegala were all absent or below the cut, underlining how far the country's tour-level representation still has to go.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jackson Koivun and how did he win the 3M Open?
Jackson Koivun is a 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie who won the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota on 27 July in only his third professional start. He closed with a 5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total, winning by three strokes over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
What record did Koivun set at the 3M Open?
Koivun's 25-under 259 total is a new 3M Open tournament record, surpassing the previous mark of 24-under 260 set by Lee Hodges in 2023.
How did Scottie Scheffler perform at the 3M Open?
Scheffler shot a final-round 63 to surge into contention but finished as runner-up — his fifth such finish of the 2025 season. His only win this year came at The American Express in California.
How much prize money did Koivun earn and what does it mean for his season?
Koivun earned $1,584,000 for his victory. He also jumped 124 spots in the FedExCup standings to 70th, which is the last position above the Playoffs cut line, with two regular-season events still remaining.
Which Indian-origin golfers were at the 3M Open?
Indian-origin Sudarshan Yellamaraju competed but missed the cut. Hero-backed Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala did not start at the 3M Open this week.
