Just a year ago, Jackson Koivun arrived at the John Deere Classic as the world’s No. 1 amateur, making his debut at the event without many expectations. A lot has changed since then. When he returns to the tournament later this summer, it will likely be as a professional, marking the end of a remarkable amateur career. Before taking that step, Koivun shared an emotional message to Auburn and the War Eagle family as he prepares to pursue his lifelong dream of playing on the PGA Tour.

“Dear Auburn, thank you for the most incredible college experience I could have ever imagined,” Koivun shared on Auburn Men’s Golf. “I’ve loved every moment of the last three years, 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 played my final season at Auburn. I’ve decided to forgo 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 AU with me as a proud member of the Auburn family. War, damn Eagle!”

In a full-circle moment that’s been a long time coming, Jackson Koivun is set to make his professional debut at the John Deere Classic 2026, held in the Quad Cities, which will run from July 2nd to 5th. But there’s a big caveat: Koivun will tee up one final time as an amateur at this week’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Ahead of the farewell, Koivun gets emotional as he shares his journey from collegiate days. He first visited Auburn on an unofficial recruiting trip in high school and called the decision to attend Auburn the “best decision of his life.”

Koivun’s bond with Auburn and the War Eagles may explain why he turned down a PGA Tour card twice.

Koivun had the PGA Tour card in his hand through the PGA Tour University accelerated program as far back as the summer of 2024. That was right after his freshman season. But he refused to take up that opportunity. The next year, after his sophomore season in 2025, he earned the card again, and once again he chose Auburn over the Tour.

The reason? He wanted to play in the Walker Cup at Cypress Point and compete in the 2026 U.S. Open and Open Championship to bring another national title to Auburn.

That decision ultimately paid off. Koivun helped Auburn secure its second NCAA championship in three years before deciding the time was right to move on. Following the Tigers’ national title victory over UCLA, head coach Nick Clinard could be heard chanting “one more year” during Koivun’s post-match interview, though the junior remained non-committal about his future.

“We’ll see, we’re going to get back to Auburn and recoup,” Koivun said at the time.

As a freshman, he broke Auburn’s single-season records for scoring average, sub-par rounds, top-10 finishes, and birdies and finished outside the top six just once in 13 starts. He became the first player in college history to sweep all four national awards, the Jack Nicklaus, Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan, and Phil Mickelson awards, all in the same season. Across three seasons, he has won 11 tournaments and led Auburn to two national championships.

His final collegiate campaign was equally dominant. Koivun won six tournaments during the 2025-26 season and recorded 12 consecutive top-10 finishes dating back to the fall. He also became the first golfer since 1967 to win back-to-back SEC Individual Championships. The Auburn star leaves college as a two-time Fred Haskins Award winner and two-time Ben Hogan Award winner, joining an exclusive group that includes names such as Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Ben Crenshaw, and Bobby Clampett.

After a stellar record as an amateur, he finally made the decision in December to turn pro.

“I’ve finally hit that mental acceptance that I’m ready to go out and play on the big tour,” he told Sports Illustrated. It feels like the right time. I’m ready to get out there and compete against the big boys,” he said in an interview with Golf Channel.

His father, George Koivun, first put a club in his hand when he was just two years old on a driving range in San Jose. By the time he was seven, he had already beaten his father in the game. Even before he arrived at Auburn as the most decorated junior, he had won the Rolex Tournament of Champions at the age of 17.

“At the end of the day, it’s my childhood dream to play on the PGA Tour,” he said last fall.

Koivun has also shown he can compete against professional fields. In seven PGA Tour starts during the 2025 season, he made six cuts, highlighted by a T11 finish at the John Deere Classic. He followed that with finishes of T6 at the ISCO Championship, T5 at the Wyndham Championship, and T4 at the Procore Championship. Earlier in his amateur career, he also made the cut at the Memorial Tournament during his PGA Tour debut.

As reported by Sports Illustrated, Koivun had earned his exemption in the 2026 Open by winning the Mark H. McCormack Medal in 2025. However, He had to remain an amateur to retain the exemption. He had also earned a spot in the 2026 British Open at Royal Birkdale, but his decision to turn pro now negates that exemption.

Praise has poured in following his decision. As reported by Golf Channel, Josh Gregory, who is Koivun’s short game instructor, said, “He’s easily in the top five amateurs of all time. I don’t think he has a weakness. He flushes it. He hits it a long way. He’s really good around the greens now. He’s arguably one of the best putters in the world.”

Those accomplishments, combined with one of the most decorated amateur careers in recent memory, help explain why Koivun’s long-awaited move to the professional ranks has become one of the most closely watched transitions in golf.