Tour Confidential: Jackson Koivun vs. Scottie Scheffler, main season awards and LIV’s dangerous information

Test in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked matters within the sport, and be a part of the dialog by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we talk about Jackson Koivun’s 3M Open win, assessment the most important season and have a look at the most recent dangerous information for LIV Golf.

Jackson Koivun outlasted a handful of main champions — together with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler — to win the 3M Open on Sunday in Minnesota in what was the rising star’s thirteenth profession begin. What did you consider Koivun’s maiden victory on the PGA Tour, and are you shocked he held off Scheffler?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): It was extraordinarily spectacular, after which he additionally made it considerably relatable with a clunky par down the stretch. Nonetheless, we are able to name {that a} good par. He made the massive putts when he wanted to and barely confirmed emotion till his profitable putt dropped in on 18. It was cool to see his response after. I might not have been shocked if he dropped a shot or two down the stretch to let Scheffler in, however he hit fairways and greens and lag-putted properly and performed like somebody who knew precisely easy methods to shut out a event.

Josh Schrock, affiliate information editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): The poise was what impressed me. Even with a large lead coming into Sunday, I anticipated Koivun to look his age sooner or later, particularly with Scheffler rising up behind him. However he by no means faltered, by no means gave anybody within the subject a gap and cruised to the primary of what I assume shall be many wins. Am I shocked he held off Scheffler? Due to the hole he needed to begin the day, no, however I’m shocked it was by no means doubtful on Sunday. 

Josh Sens, senior author (@joshsens): I used to be struck by how unflinching he was. This was not a younger participant simply attempting to hang around for the win. A birdie proper out of the gate and no let-up from there. There are tons of precocious abilities in golf, after all. However not all of them present such veteran poise. 

A shock Scheffler begin on the 3M Open led to hovering ticket gross sales and was the Minnesota occasion’s greatest attract its younger historical past. Nevertheless, when the Tour introduces its new two-track system in 2028, gamers on the Championship Collection will be unable to drop down and play occasions on the Challenger Collection. Whereas it’s unclear what monitor the 3M Open will land on in two years, this type of star-player splash we noticed this week could be a factor of the previous. Is {that a} disservice to tournaments and communities? Or just the value of doing enterprise with the Tour’s new construction?

Berhow: It may be each. Because the Minnesota resident who covers this event yearly — I purchased an ideal mug from the merch tent this time — I’ve by no means seen crowds like this. Normally attendance is strong, however one group has not often drawn your entire course as Scottie did from Thursday to Sunday. It was enjoyable to see. However the Tour schedule was additionally due for a makeover, and I perceive why this rule needed to be put in place. It appears too tough to permit one-off begins right here or there for sure guys and will get messy.

Schrock: The reply is each. We noticed speak of this on the John Deere as properly about former champions not having the ability to play and those that win a Observe 2 occasion being unable to defend their title the next 12 months. It sucks for good golf communities like Minnesota and the Quad Cities that they received’t get to see stars like Scottie or Jordan Spieth, however the Tour couldn’t maintain going the way in which that it was. It wanted a facelift to make the schedule and stakes simpler to know in order that the whole lot results in someplace and we don’t simply have 40 one-off occasions that head to a complicated postseason. 

Sens: Little question that the schedule needed to change. The query is whether or not these adjustments really remedy the basis downside, which is that there are solely so many golfers individuals actually need to watch. With out large names within the subject and the eyeballs they draw, how for much longer will the lower-wattage occasion survive? Are we simply suspending the inevitable when the schedule must be pared down even additional?

Now that you simply’ve had a couple of days to digest the 2026 males’s main season, let’s mirror. What was your greatest takeaway from the 4 majors?

Berhow: That it was … a bizarre 12 months? Stars like Rory and Scottie and Bryson and Xander and Brooks have been winners the earlier three years, however this 12 months Ryan Fox and Aaron Rai snuck in as surprises. After which there’s Wyndham Clark, who had received a serious earlier than, however let’s be sincere — how loopy is it that the man who busted up lockers at a U.S. Open received that very same event one 12 months later? Oh, and that at the same time as an American, he was heckled by American followers your entire remaining spherical? One other takeaway: With two Masters wins already and enjoying with home cash, Rory might be a legit menace at Augusta for an additional decade. And lastly, that is extra of a enjoyable truth I discovered amusing, however Scottie has completed exterior the highest 10 at a serious simply twice within the final three years. It’s so onerous to win these; I’d wish to say, after all, he will get one subsequent 12 months, however he nonetheless performed excellent main golf in 2026 and didn’t add to his major-title tally.

Schrock: That after a number of years of massive names dominating the massive tournaments, we acquired three straight surprises after Rory repeating at Augusta. Heading into the PGA, eight of the final 9 majors had been received by both Rory, Scottie, Bryson or Xander. The one actual outliers we’ve had since 2021 have been J.J. Spaun and Brian Harman. Then we acquired three straight outlier winners with Aaron Rai, Ryan Fox and Wyndham Clark, the latter profitable his second U.S. Open after being within the wilderness and presumed misplaced. What I’ll take into consideration going ahead exterior of how briskly we’ve gone from “Can Rory win at Augusta?” to “What number of inexperienced jackets will he win?” is which of the massive names lastly will get off the schneid in 2027? Collin Morikawa has been caught on two majors for 5 years, Jon Rahm for 3, Justin Thomas for 4. Xander and Bryson have now gone two years with out majors and are each nonetheless at two. Jordan Spieth has been on three for 9 years. Who within the non-Rory/Scottie star division provides to their resume subsequent 12 months, if anybody?

Sens: That a great deal of the drama got here from components indirectly associated to the competitions themselves. Rory looking for a repeat. Fan abuse of Clark. Bryson’s penalty histrionics. When it got here all the way down to the motion itself, solely the Open Championship had a very dramatic remaining gap. 

Which implies essentially the most memorable main second was?

Berhow: Garrick Higgo’s late tee time arrival, penalty and clarification on the PGA Championship is up there, and so was how the followers handled Clark at Shinnecock Hills, however past Rory’s second inexperienced jacket, in 10 years what we’ll nonetheless in all probability keep in mind is Bryson’s weird Friday evening at Royal Birkdale.

Schrock: I feel it’s Bryson’s penalty and the scene that unfolded, from him taking the officers again out to the scene to threatening to withdraw to reportedly asking to name Trump to attempt to get the penalty eliminated; it was an insane second that shall be what the 2026 Open is remembered for. Honorable mentions to Scottie ending second at Augusta after which semi-detonating the course for not having equal situations within the first two rounds and Haotong Li’s final-round 80 the place he spent half-hour within the bushes at No. 13. 

Sens: Bryson’s penalty saga for positive. My barometer for large moments in golf is when associates who don’t comply with the sport begin texting me to talk in regards to the information. The hubbub round that ruling was the one second this 12 months that almost blew up my cellphone. 

Whose main inventory are you shopping for for 2027?

Berhow: Sam Burns was one stroke off the 54-hole lead on the Masters, completed a shot behind Clark on the U.S. Open and was the 54-hole chief on the Open Championship. He’s shut. However greater than something, I like the way in which he’s dealt with himself in these conditions. Typically that you must maneuver a couple of shut calls earlier than you’ll be able to actually money in. 

Schrock: Cam Younger held the lead on Sunday on the Masters after which put collectively a blistering Sunday to virtually steal the Open at Royal Birkdale. He has taken a leap during the last calendar 12 months. He received at Wyndham, nabbed a Gamers and rolled over the sphere at Doral. The main(s) are coming. 

Sens: Good calls above however I’ll go together with Scheffler. Not that I used to be ever shorting his inventory to start with. However extra cause than ever now to purchase. Onerous to think about him getting blanked once more subsequent 12 months. 

What’s essentially the most troubling LIV information from the previous week: the Asian Tour’s exit as a feeder program, or the reported skepticism that the league’s season-ending workforce occasion in Michigan will even occur? What are your ideas on the most recent LIV developments and does it change your outlook on LIV’s future?

Berhow: It’s tough to maintain monitor of all the brand new stories and tales and rumors on LIV’s tournaments, future and who’s submitting what towards them. Add all of it up, and this doesn’t look excellent. Whereas the Michigan stuff isn’t nice, it’s not official. Shedding the Asian Tour as a pathway for its gamers actually hurts. Did you discover how rapidly Rory McIlroy endorsed the transfer after it was introduced? That was not accidentally. That mentioned, funding going dry this 12 months doesn’t imply some buyers received’t swoop in to save lots of future years. However proper now the entire thing is beginning to leak a bit oil.

Schrock: Can I take each? If the Michigan occasion will get canceled, that looks like curtains for a league that has been attempting to maintain the fats girl from heading on stage for months. Nevertheless, the Asian Tour saddling as much as the PGA Tour and DP World Tour could be an even bigger deal on condition that it was rumored that LIV’s pitch to buyers concerned 10 Asian Tour occasions and 10 LIV occasions. That’s not an possibility, and with out the Asian Tour as a feeder tour, the OWGR factors that LIV fought so onerous to get could be at risk even when LIV survives. Issues aren’t good at LIV HQ, and it looks like we’re getting ready to provide the league its final rites after the Indianapolis occasion. 

Sens: Each. Put a fork in it. The league is just about in zombie mode proper now. Useless in most significant methods.