MEDINAH, Ill. — Jackson Koivun's highly anticipated Presidents Cup debut arrived Thursday at Medinah Country Club, and the 21-year-old rookie helped deliver an early point for the United States. Paired with Justin Thomas in fourballs, Koivun and Thomas rolled to a 4-and-3 victory — the most lopsided result of the day — as the U.S. took a 3-2 lead after the opening session of the Sept. 24-27 matches outside Chicago.
The better-ball win came despite a scrappy start for Koivun, who was statistically the Americans' worst player on Day 1. He flailed his approach into the bunker on the opening hole, hooked his tee shot out of bounds on the second, nearly put another approach OB and made two other bogeys before settling in with three birdies of his own. "A little shaky," he admitted later. The best amateur of the past 15 years, a two-time NCAA player of the year and team national champion, Koivun won on the PGA Tour in just his third pro event and matched Tiger Woods for the fewest starts (6) needed to qualify for the playoffs.
The uneven debut immediately recalled another young American star a decade earlier. At the 2013 Presidents Cup, 20-year-old Jordan Spieth was paired with then-46-year-old Steve Stricker and hit two balls in the water while sitting out four consecutive holes before Stricker put a reassuring arm around him. Spieth settled to go 2-1 in team play that week, sparking a half-decade run of elite form.
Thomas did much of the heavy lifting Thursday and provided the emotional boost, playing as the Americans' best player on Day 1. The "Iron Bowl" teammates leaned on a natural partnership built over the past two years through practice rounds, a shared agency and frequent conversations as Koivun weighed turning pro. The victory pushed Thomas to a perfect 7-0 in Presidents Cup fourballs and 20-9-4 overall in team competition, by far the best mark on the U.S. roster, quieting criticism of his captain's pick. "Justin did a good job showing him the ropes," U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker said. "Justin played fantastic, and Jackson got to see what U.S. golf looks like. Super happy for him, and happy for our team that you have a rookie like that getting their first point."
The point validated Snedeker's belief in the rookie after months of debate about his worthiness as a captain's pick, but not enough to alter plans for Day 2. Koivun will sit out the foursomes session and cheer on his teammates before another chance beckons Saturday, when he can show American fans the future is playing now.