RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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There are precedents for this, make no mistake. Jackson Koivun is not the first young phenom to have a heap of expectations placed upon his shoulders and to carry them as effectively as the Greek god Atlas (even if that was more of a punishment doled out by Zeus if anything).
The 21-year-old must feel like a god only three starts into his PGA Tour career. A winner already thanks to his impressive showing at the 3M Open where he 1) fended off world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, 2) went bogey-free over the weekend and 3) set a new tournament scoring record, Koivun has catapulted his name not only into the professional ranks but into another conversation: the Presidents Cup team.
"I think anytime you're trying to win for the first time, it's awfully difficult, especially for a young guy coming out of college," Scheffler said of Koivun. "I think that shows not only how talented of a player he is, but I think the mental strength he has as well."
In 2013, U.S. Presidents Cup captain Fred Couples opted for a 20-year-old in Jordan Spieth over his good friend, Jim Furyk. It tore Couples up so much that he could not stomach a phone call to Furyk. Instead, he texted him and had a longer conversation in person to relay the reasoning behind his decision.
"I feel like two years ago I left Keegan Bradley off my team and he was the PGA champ and the Byron Nelson champ," Couples said at the time. "It wore on me a little bit, especially when I saw him play in the Ryder Cup last year. To pick Jordan was the right move. Jordan has had an incredible year with only one crack at it [earning points] this year."
Ten years later in 2023, European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald faced a similar situation -- go with a new face or a proven commodity. He chose the former in Ludvig Åberg in what turned out to be a decision the Americans wish he did not make. The Swede starred alongside Norwegian Viktor Hovland and helped the Europeans reclaim the cup after the stomping at Whistling Straits a couple years prior.
Donald, Åberg and the rest of the squad ushered in a new era for the European Ryder Cup team.
While eras aren't much of a conversation for the Presidents Cup, mostly do to the lack of competitiveness in the event's history, the U.S. Team at large -- between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup -- finds itself in a position where direction has been hard to come by.
Bradley was supposed to serve as an inspirational captain at Bethpage Black. That did not work. Now, Brandt Snedeker leads the charge for the red, white and blue at Medinah before Furyk picks up the reins again for his second crack at an away Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.
Snedeker has tabbed both Bradley and Furyk to serve as assistant captains in Chicago as the Americans hope to use the yearly competitions as an engine for good. For continuity between the two, both in the team room with leadership and in between the ropes with the actual playing roster.
That is where Koivun comes into play. He is only 21-years old. He is only three starts into his professional career. He is only No. 51 in the Presidents Cup standings and will require a pick from Snedeker if he is to play on this team.
But that's the funny thing about perspective.
One person sees a 21-year-old, another sees a U.S. stalwart for decades to come. One person sees inexperience with only three starts, another sees a win over someone like Scheffler in such a short time. One sees a player outside the top 50 in the team standings, another sees one the former No. 1 amateur with as decorated a career as anyone worth taking a chance on because one day he may very well be No. 1 again.
It would be easy for Snedeker to use his six captain's picks on six safe selections. Players in their 30s who will help them win the Presidents Cup over the International Team for the 11th time in a row. Ironically, though, it is the safe picks that may open him up for criticism because that has long been the direction most U.S. captains have taken.
Picks like those have led captains towards short-term success. Wins in the present year without a glance at what is lying ahead. For Snedeker, now is the time to plan for the future, because as Koivun showed Sunday in Blaine, Minnesota, it comes a lot faster than you're expecting.
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