Jackson Koivun is just 21 years old, and he made his professional debut only a few months ago, at the John Deere Classic. But that didn’t stop Brandt Snedeker from selecting him as the last captain’s pick for the 2026 Presidents Cup. While some may have their doubts about picking someone with such limited professional experience, the captain has a perfect response to such questions.

“I think we took a long hard look at all of these guys who are close, but Jackson, what he did at 3M, what he did in his amateur career, what he brings to the table, I think is something we wanted to take a hard look at, and we’ll be going with him. I’m so impressed by this young man. I think he brings a lot to our team room. He brings a lot to us in terms of pairings. I know what this guy is capable of. I know what he’s going to bring to us, and I’m excited to show him to the world,” Brandt Snedeker said when asked for the reason behind his pick.

While Koivun missed the cut at his first professional start, he went on to win his third start at the 3M Open 2026. He carded rounds of 64-68-61-66 to finish 25-under 259. What’s more impressive is that it was the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler who was chasing the 21-year-old in the final round. But he held his nerve and won the event by three strokes. Scheffler himself praised Koivun’s mentality on the final day.

That win made him the second-fastest PGA Tour professional to win an event. He also became the youngest American winner to win by more than one stroke in 94 years. And we all know what he has done in the amateur circuit. So Brandt Snedeker is not wrong to say that Koivun is capable of a lot more.

The American Presidents Cup team captain even noted that doing what Koivun has done in five starts on the PGA Tour as a professional is proof that he is ready to compete at a high level. And it’s not like the 21-year-old has no experience at all with such events. He helped lead Auburn to the NCAA golf championship and helped lead the USA to a Walker Cup win in September of 2025. So, he has experience in the match-play format that can help him at the biennial event.

“Match play is one of my favorite formats. It’s so exciting playing on a team, playing for guys you can call your brothers for the rest of your life,” Koivun said.

But it was not all technical for Brandt Snedeker. Instead, there were many other professionals close to him that the captain had to sift through. But his gut told him to go with the young professional, and that’s what he did. Snedeker has played with Koivun and knows firsthand how complete his game is.

“I’ve heard a lot about Jackson. I played with him several times, obviously, but the totality of his game is very impressive. He’s a guy without any holes in his game. That’s very rare for a kid his age,” he added.

Brandt Snedeker’s decision to pick Jackson Koivun may have raised a few eyebrows. But it was not an out-of-the-blue decision. From Koivun’s dominant 3M Open victory to his strong amateur background, he has shown that he can perform under pressure.

With this, Jackson Koivun becomes the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2013 to begin the year without a tour card and yet get to play in the Presidents Cup.