Koivun Surprises
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — After leading Americans to victory in the Walker Cup, Jackson Koivun appears ready to take on some of the players who will compete in the Ryder Cup. Koivun hit some big shots at the Procore Championship on Friday, highlighting a 3-iron to 30 inches on the par-5 12th for an eagle, and finished with a 6-under 66 at Silverado, moving within three shots of the lead entering the weekend.
A big surprise? Not at all. Koivun, a San Jose native and currently the world's No. 1 amateur, has already secured his PGA Tour card for when he decides to turn pro. In his six previous PGA Tour starts this year, he has missed only one cut, and in his last outing, he tied for fifth at the Wyndham Championship.
So it's no surprise that when he ran into Russell Henley, one of the ten Americans playing in the Ryder Cup next week, he didn't ask for his autograph. The two know each other because Henley lives in Columbus, Georgia, about 30 kilometers from Auburn. "I ran into Russell Henley on the driving range and told him I was going to catch him," Koivun said with a smile. "That was my goal."
Key details
As for the competition, Ben Griffin led after two bogey-free rounds, with a total of 14-under 130. Henley posted a 68 and was three shots back, as was Koivun. “We’ll have a little bit of an internal showdown over the next two days,” Koivun added.
The young amateur has reason to feel tired. At the Walker Cup, which the Americans won easily, he had a 3-1 record. The celebration wasn't excessive, as Koivun is only 20 years old and the team was young. Upon arriving in wine country, he tried to balance practice with rest. Koivun considers this a great year to learn, and he has shown he has a game that commands attention. In addition to his tie for fifth in the final event of the PGA Tour regular season, he also tied for sixth at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky (the same week as the British Open) and 11th at the John Deere Classic. His only lapse came at the US Open at Oakmont.
“There’s a lot to learn out there,” Koivun said. “I’m trying to do it as quickly as possible before turning pro, whether that’s later this year or late next year. I’m just trying to fully understand what’s going on inside the ropes.”
Statements and context
He started with three birdies in five holes to get back on track after opening with a 67. Then came the 12th hole and his best shot of the day. “That 3-iron was pretty good,” he said. He looked at the leaderboards, not to enjoy seeing his name on them, but to realize he had time to redeem himself after a drive that sailed out of bounds on the 14th hole (he still managed a bogey), and he did so with a 5-foot birdie putt on the par-5 15th.
Koivun is preparing for the weekend in the penultimate group, paired with US Open champion JJ Spaun, curious to see where this experience will take him. “I’m trying to be the best, and I just have to keep putting myself in situations where I can perform well, in addition to practicing hard in the offseason or when I’m not competing to improve,” he concluded.
