Jackson Koivun Leaves Auburn For PGA TOUR Shot

Jackson Koivun is officially done dominating college golf. Now the Auburn superstar is taking his game straight to the PGA TOUR.

Koivun, the No. 1-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, announced he’ll turn professional after one final amateur start at the U.S. Open.

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He earned that major championship exemption by winning the McCormack Award last year, giving him one last big-stage sendoff before his pro debut at the John Deere Classic.

And honestly, this move felt inevitable.

Koivun didn’t just put together a strong Auburn career. He built one of the loudest résumés college golf has ever seen. After three monster seasons with the Tigers, he’ll leave school early and accept the PGA TOUR membership he locked up through PGA TOUR University Accelerated.

“I’m grateful to everyone at Auburn University for giving me the most incredible college experience I could’ve ever imagined,” Koivun said.

“From bringing home a pair of national championships to the late nights and early mornings grinding at the facility and competing alongside guys I’ll call brothers for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Then came the line Auburn fans knew was coming, even if it still stings.

“With that being said, I’ve decided to forego my senior year to pursue my lifelong dream of playing on the PGA TOUR.”

That dream is no longer theoretical. Koivun earned his TOUR card after finishing T4 at the 2025 NCAA Championship, giving him the final point needed to hit the 20-point threshold in PGA TOUR University Accelerated.

He had the option to take membership earlier, but returned to Auburn for the 2025-26 season and somehow raised the bar again.

In 13 collegiate starts this season, Koivun posted 12 top-10 finishes, eight top-fives and six victories. He also helped lead Auburn to its second national championship in three years, cementing the Tigers as a machine and Koivun as the engine.

Individually, he made history by becoming the first college golfer to win the Haskins Award, Hogan Award and Nicklaus Award more than once. That’s not hype. That’s a clean sweep of college golf’s biggest hardware — twice.

Koivun also already looks comfortable against professionals. He’s made nine PGA TOUR starts as an amateur and made six cuts in seven starts in 2025.

His run included three straight top-10 finishes at the ISCO Championship, Wyndham Championship and Procore Championship, plus a T11 at the John Deere Classic.

That’s where the next chapter begins.

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Koivun now joins Gordon Sargent and Luke Clanton as players who earned PGA TOUR cards through PGA TOUR University Accelerated. But Koivun arrives with his own kind of buzz — polished, proven and already dangerous.

Auburn built him. The PGA TOUR gets him next.

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