While many at the Procore Championship had one eye on the Ryder Cup, Jackson Koivun also managed to show in Napa why the hopes for his future are so high with his performance at Silverado.
Jackson Koivun has been hugely impressive in recent months. He went into the Procore Championship off the back of top six finishes at the ISCO Championship and the Wyndham Championship. The 20-year-old also helped the USA win the Walker Cup at Cypress Point.
He went on to put himself in the final group on Sunday at Silverado, one shot ahead of Scottie Scheffler. Ultimately, Koivun would have to settle for a tie for fourth in the event.
It was a hugely impressive showing from the starlet, and a further reminder that he seems to be destined for great things. And of course, his form is difficult to ignore against the backdrop of the upcoming Ryder Cup.
Dan Rapaport asked if he would take Jackson Koivun over Collin Morikawa at the Ryder Cup
Of course, Keegan Bradley‘s team has been settled for some time. But, while the likes of Scheffler and Ben Griffin impressed this past week, others are causing much greater concern ahead of Bethpage.
Justin Thomas finished 69th, while Collin Morikawa and Harris English were tied for 43rd.
Morikawa is the man in that trio without a win on the PGA Tour this year. And speaking on Dan on Golf, Dan Rapaport was asked whether he would now take Koivun at the Ryder Cup over Morikawa if given the chance.
“That’s the question. Would I take Koivun over Morikawa right now on a PGA Tour layout? Probably. Would I take Jackson Koivun over Collin Morikawa at a major championship layout? No. Would I take Jackson Koivun over Collin Morikawa in the Ryder Cup? No,” he said.
“It sort of goes along with my overall feeling on the Ryder Cup, I think if these two teams played at a neutral site, my edge would be with Europe.
“But I think that that cauldron of Bethpage Black is going to be something like we just haven’t seen before. I think it’s going to be something completely different and I have no doubts that playing in that sort of environment would be freaky for a kid like that.”
The concerning form of Collin Morikawa since his disappointing finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Morikawa is the player who heads to New York with a point to prove.
It appeared inevitable that he would end his current wait for a win when he finished second at both The Sentry and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, the two-time major champion has not kicked on since then.
His only top-10 since The Masters came at the Rocket Classic in June. Morikawa’s sole top-20 finish since Detroit came in the 30-man field at the Tour Championship.
It is little surprise that Rapaport would not take Koivun over Morikawa given his experience. However, it says everything about the 28-year-old’s recent form that many would probably back Koivun to emulate Ludvig Aberg in 2023 and make a much greater impact on the biggest stage.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
