Jackson Koivun has turned the final round of the 3M Open into more than a Sunday chase. It is now a test of whether a 21-year-old in just his third professional start can protect a three-shot lead while the biggest prize on the board waits at the finish line.
Koivun shot a 10-under 61 on Saturday to get to 20 under and move in front of Emiliano Grillo and Ben Kohles. That left him with a three-shot cushion entering Sunday at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., where the winner of the $8.8 million PGA Tour event is set to receive $1.584 million.
What the lead means
The size of the lead matters because the 3M Open is still very much within reach for the players behind him, but Koivun has given himself a real margin for error. Grillo and Kohles are close enough to make the final round interesting, yet far enough back that Koivun can force them to chase.
That is especially important in a tournament where the payout structure spreads all the way through 66th place. The winner gets $1.584 million, while second place is set for $959,200, third for $607,200, fourth for $431,200 and fifth for $360,800. In other words, Sunday is not just about a trophy; it is about a meaningful jump in earnings and status.
A breakout week in real time
Koivun’s Saturday round was the kind that changes the shape of a tournament. A 10-under 61 is not just a hot score; it is a statement that the course can be attacked and that the leader is seeing everything clearly enough to stay aggressive without losing control.
The bigger context is what makes it compelling. This is his third professional start, yet he has already separated himself from a field that includes Scottie Scheffler, the World No. 1. That does not guarantee anything on Sunday, but it does tell you the level Koivun is already reaching.
The final-round question
The challenge now is less about producing another low number and more about managing the round that comes with being the player to catch. Three-shot leads can disappear quickly if the first few holes turn tense, and the players behind him know they need birdies early.
Still, Koivun has done the hard part. He has positioned himself to win one of the PGA Tour’s bigger paydays and to leave Minnesota with a result that would carry well beyond this week. Sunday will decide whether the lead becomes a breakthrough or just the start of one.
