The player set to join the PGA Tour who will ‘instantly’ become one of the best putters in the world when he does

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An exciting aspect of the PGA Tour is that several players make a name for themselves every year.

In 2025, Ben Griffin and J.J. Spaun became the latest Tour stars and even made the United States Ryder Cup team.

It remains to be seen who will follow in their footsteps next season, but golf writer Ryan Lavner thinks he has a good idea.

Lavner has tipped one amateur player to immediately become one of the best putters on the PGA Tour as soon as he turns professional.

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Ryan Lavner tips Jackson Koivun to be a great PGA Tour putter

Jackson Koivun is probably the most exciting prospect in the USA ahead of the 2026 PGA Tour season.

Koivun made his Tour debut at the Memorial Tournament in June 2024, but he truly emerged as a future superstar this year.

The 20-year-old played in seven events in 2025, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the US Open.

He developed significantly throughout the season, finishing no worse than sixth in his last three tournaments.

Koivun is expected to turn professional in 2026, and when he does, he could already be an elite putter. 

“I’m going with Jackson Koivun, who right now does not actually have a PGA Tour card in his hand. He is still competing in college,” Lavner said.

“He is a junior at Auburn, but he has locked up a future PGA Tour card, whenever he chooses to accept it through the PGA Tour University accelerated program. He has deferred until at least after this season.

“But you look at what he did in seven Official World Golf Ranking-recognized events this year: Four consecutive top 11s. He is such a good player already in the limited action that we have seen.

“And look, maybe things are going to be different when he actually joins the pay-for-play set. We’ve seen what happened with Luke Clanton. Remember 2024, Luke Clanton had a dominant summer as well. Everything was projected quite high for him. Similar run.

“I don’t think Jackson Koivun is quite as much of a boom-bust project as Luke Clanton is. Whenever Jackson Koivun joins the PGA Tour, he is instantly going to be among the very best putters on the PGA Tour. That club has never let him down. Look forward to seeing what Jackson Koivun can do in 2026.”

Phil Mickelson expects Jackson Koivun to reach the top

Jackson Koivun is so good at just 20 years of age that it seems inevitable he will be a top PGA Tour player one day.

He is the only college golfer ever to win all four major awards in the same season: the Haskins Award, Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award, and Phil Mickelson Award.

Mickelson himself tipped Koivun to become a world-class player after his T4 finish at the Procore Championship.

“This young man is an amazing talent and destined for greatness. He would also look great in a HyFlers outfit,” the LIV Golfer Tweeted.