Jackson Koivun Fires 61 to Seize 3M Open Lead by 3 Shots

Q: After a historic sub-60 round, can Michael Kim bounce back to overcome a five-shot deficit and shock the field in Minnesota?

Yes, but the odds were against Michael Kim once he slipped five back. Kim’s 59 on Friday proved he can produce the lowest number in the field at TPC Twin Cities. He became just the 15th player in PGA Tour history to break 60, and he did it with 12 birdies, no bogeys and a 24-foot birdie putt on 18. On a course known for low scoring and volatile swings, that kind of firepower kept him relevant even after Saturday’s 70 dropped him into a tie for sixth at 15-under. The problem was not whether Kim could go low again. It was whether the players ahead of him would come back. Jackson Koivun entered Sunday at 20-under after a 61 and a tournament-record back-nine 28, while Ben Kohles and Emiliano Grillo were only three behind. Scottie Scheffler was also charging from 14-under after a 64. That meant Kim likely needed another mid-60s round and help from multiple players. Kim did have encouraging signs despite the setback. He said he swung it well Saturday and was “pleasantly surprised” by how calm he felt. If the putter heated back up, a surge into the clubhouse lead was realistic. But overcoming five shots against a packed leaderboard required something close to another outlier round. In the end, the shock came from Koivun, who closed it out for his first PGA Tour win, while Kim’s historic Friday remained one of the week’s defining moments rather than the platform for a comeback victory.

Q: Will 21-year-old rookie Jackson Koivun's aggressive strategy secure his first PGA Tour victory, or will the volatile 3M Open claim another victim?

Koivun’s aggressive strategy did secure his first PGA Tour victory. That was always the most plausible path for him at TPC Twin Cities. The 3M Open is built for volatility and low scoring, and Koivun understood that protecting a lead can be more dangerous than pressing an advantage. After his third-round 61, he said he would “keep the foot on the gas,” and on Sunday he followed through. He opened with a near-perfect approach on the 1st for birdie, kept making chances, and never let the tournament’s usual chaos swallow him. The evidence behind that approach was strong even before the final round. Koivun entered Sunday at 20-under with a three-shot lead after a tournament-record back-nine 28 on Saturday, fueled by two eagles and elite approach play. He also brought a background that suggested he could handle the moment: he was the former No. 1 amateur, a multiple national award winner at Auburn, and had already shown comfort under pressure in college’s biggest events. The main threat was not the course as much as Scottie Scheffler. The world No. 1 charged with a final-round 63 and finished at 22-under, but Koivun answered the pressure. He got to 24-under through 12, tied the tournament scoring record, and closed with a 66 for a 25-under total, breaking Lee Hodges’ event mark and winning by three. So the volatile 3M Open did what it often does—produce a shootout. Koivun simply proved he was the best aggressor in it.

3 articles · Updated · PGA TOUR · Jul 25

Koivun, 21, surged into his first PGA Tour 54-hole lead with a 10-under 61, finishing with a 233-yard eagle at No. 18.
A record back-nine 28 powered the move, with two eagles and top-ranked Strokes Gained: Total for the round driven by elite approach play.
Ben Kohles and Emiliano Grillo sit three shots back at 17 under after matching 65s, while Chandler Phillips and Michael Brennan are another shot behind.
Scottie Scheffler is among a dozen players within six shots, and Friday leader Michael Kim fell to tied sixth after following his second-round 59 with a 70.
The Auburn product is chasing his first Tour title in just his third start as a full member after earning status through PGA Tour University Accelerated.