In the days following the 3M Open, golf fans have been debating whether Jackson Koivun should receive a spot on the Presidents Cup team at Medinah in September.
Koivun proved that he belongs on the big stage with his victory at TPC Twin Cities, with Scottie Scheffler finishing second to the youngster in Minnesota.
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There is very good reason for Brandt Snedeker to now pick him for the Presidents Cup. However, all of the debate surrounding Koivun making his Team USA debut should surely send a warning to the PGA Tour.
No one is seemingly talking about what Koivun could now potentially do in the playoffs over the coming weeks.
Why the reaction to Jackson Koivun’s win at the 3M Open has sent a warning to the PGA Tour
The victory presented the PGA Tour with something of an open goal.
With the win, Jackson Koivun moved up to 70th in the FedEx Cup. Of course, should he remain there after the Rocket Classic and the Wyndham Championship, he will earn a spot in the playoffs.
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And yet, few golf fans seem to be discussing the run Koivun could potentially put together across the three playoff events.
Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images
It would be an incredible storyline for the tour if Koivun could somehow force his way into the Tour Championship field at East Lake.
But instead, most seem to be looking past the FedEx Cup playoffs altogether in favour of the Presidents Cup – an event that does not exactly capture the imagination anyway.
This should be a wake-up call for the PGA Tour. Big changes are coming for 2028, and the tour simply cannot afford to squander any of their current momentum by unveiling another underwhelming playoff structure.
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The FedEx Cup playoffs will be looked back upon as one of the PGA Tour’s biggest missed opportunities
The FedEx Cup playoffs had the potential to be a game-changer for the PGA Tour.
But whether it was down to a confusing points system, poor choices of location and golf courses, or a Tour Championship format that no-one seemed happy with, the playoffs have consistently missed the mark.
Had they got it right, the fact that Koivun was 70th in the standings would be the headline. Most would have wondered how far he could go, with a spot at the Presidents Cup being the potential reward for a much longer run.
But many now think that Koivun needs to be on Snedeker’s team almost regardless of what he does over the next few weeks.
That is far from ideal for those working behind the scenes on the PGA Tour.
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