Jackson Koivun Facts: 20 Things You Didn't Know About The Auburn University Golfer

Jackson Koivun is one of the best amateur golfers in the world and has an incredibly impressive record during his early years at college. Find out more about his life and fledgling pro career via these facts.

Jackson Koivun Facts

1. Koivun was born on May 23, 2005 in San Jose, California but grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

2. He learned golf from his father, George at a young age. He says he beat his dad for the first time when he was just seven years old.

3. Koivun's parents are called George and Meghan.

4. As a teenager, he won both the 2022 Rolex Tournament of Champions and 2023 Dustin Johnson World Juniors. During that incredibly successful period, Koivun was also able to boast top-10 finishes at the 2022 Wyndham Invitational, 2022 Junior Players Championship and 2023 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley.

5. Prior to college, he was tagged as the no.1 recruit by the AJGA and no.3 by Golf Channel.

6. In 2023, Koivun began attending Auburn University having opted to become a Tiger over going to Duke, Illinois, North Carolina, Pepperdine, SMU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.

7. Koivun's favorite movie is 'Guardians of the Galaxy' while he calls pizza his comfort meal.

8. His favorite NFL team is the Green Bay Packers.

9. He reached the US Amateur Quarter-Finals in 2023.

10. Koivun's 2024 freshman year with Auburn is widely considered as one of the best seasons in collegiate golf history. His successful season included winning the SEC Championship by six shots and only finishing outside the top-six just once in 13 starts. He also became the first player in Auburn history to finish the year with a sub-70 stroke average at 69.48.

11. Koivun became the first player to win all four major collegiate awards (Jack Nicklaus, Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan and Phil Mickelson Awards) in the same season. His other awards in 2024 include SEC Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year.

12. Thanks to winning the 2024 Jack Nicklaus Award, he earned a spot at the 2024 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club, where he made his PGA Tour debut.

13. He made the cut at the Memorial and finished in 52nd place, with a score of 18-over for his tournament. After making the cut, Koivun said: “It’s awesome. I think today is probably the hardest golf conditions and course I ever played."

14. Koivun finished in a tie for second at the 2024 NCAA Men’s Individual Championship, losing by one stroke to Hiroshi Tai. He suffered a brutal break on the final hole which cost him a shot at the title.

15. He helped Auburn its first national team title at the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Championship.

16. Koivun was named the SEC Player of the Season for a second straight year following his Sophomore campaign which featured three more collegiate victories.

17. He has represented Team USA at the Junior Presidents Cup (2022) and the Arnold Palmer Cup (2024). Should he remain an amateur, he will achieve his second Arnold Palmer Cup call-up in 2025.

18. Already a regular inside the World Amateur Golf Ranking top-five, Koivun finally took over the No.1 spot in June 2025 following Luke Clanton's decision to turn pro.

19. Koivun finished T4th at the NCAA D1 Men's Golf Championship 2025 and earned the 20th and final point he needed to secure a full PGA Tour card through the circuit's University Accelerated program. But instead of turning pro immediately, Koivun announced he would be returning to Auburn for at least his Junior year.

20. Koivun made his Major championship debut at the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Jackson Koivun Bio

Jackson Koivun Amateur Wins

• 2019 UHY St. Louis Junior
• 2021 Northern California Junior Championship
• 2021 Jack Burke Jr. Invitational
• 2022 Rolex Tournament of Champions
• 2023 Dustin Johnson World Junior
• 2024 Pinehurst Intercollegiate
• 2024 Wake Forest Invitational
• 2024 SEC Championship
• 2024 Inverness Intercollegiate