Two-time national champion Auburn men’s golfer Jackson Koivun announced on Friday, June 12, that he will forego his senior season and join the PGA Tour this summer.
A historic chapter of Auburn men’s golf comes to a close with the departure of Koivun. His final appearance donning the orange and blue was on June 3, when the Tigers claimed their second national championship in three years. The two-time Nicklaus Award winner will make his PGA debut at the 2026 John Deere Classic, which is set to begin July 1-5 in Silvis, Illinois, at TPC Deere Run.
Advertisement
“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. With that being said, I’ve decided to forego my senior year to pursue my lifelong dream of playing on the PGA Tour. To my teammates, coaches, support staff, fans, and most importantly, my family, thank you for supporting me in this chapter of my life. I am incredibly excited for what’s ahead, but no matter where this game takes me, I will always carry the A-U with me as a proud member of the Auburn family.”
Koivun became the first person in NCAA golf history to claim every national player of the year award (Haskins, Hogan, Nicklaus) two times in his collegiate career. His name sits by 16 records in the Auburn program’s history, with him holding the single-season and career scoring averages that are also NCAA records. Recording 11 wins, which is first in program history, first in the Southeastern Conference, and ties him seventh in NCAA history.
His sophomore season saw him receive his PGA membership, which came through the PGA Tour U Accelerated Program toward the end of the season. Koivun declined and returned to the Tigers for the 2025-26 campaign.
As he joins the PGA Tour, he leaves a legacy as the best player to ever play for Auburn men’s golf and one of the greatest to compete at the college level.
