The legend of Jackson Koivun grows — in the national championship match. The Auburn men’s golf team advanced to the NCAA tournament final on the sure swinging of the freshman phenom, who won in extra holes to lift Auburn past Ohio State on Tuesday in the national semifinals in Carlsbad, Calif. Koivun drained a four-foot birdie putt in dramatic fashion on the third overtime hole to best the Buckeyes’ Adam Wallin and push Auburn to the national championship match-play final against Florida State on Wednesday.
The match was all square after 18 holes and Koivun and Wallin had to play a 19th and 20th before going to the 21st still trying to decide a winner. Koivun said on the GOLF Channel’s broadcast that it was the most pressure he’s been in on the golf course. “I don’t want to let anyone down, my team, my school, my coaches,” he said.
He didn’t. On the par-4, Koivun hit the bunker just off the green with his second shot, but a stellar approach out of the bunker gave him a four-foot birdie opportunity while Wallin’s birdie attempt rolled wide of the hole. During the regular 18 of match play, Wallin birdied that same hole while Koivun bogeyed it — but Koivun seemed to erase that memory and perform under pressure.
It’s been a simply sensational season for one of the most decorated players already in college golf: Koivun is the SEC Freshman of the Year, the SEC Player of the Year, the Ben Hogan Award winner and the Fred Haskins Award winner, boosting Auburn t.
