Golf's next megastar is at the US Open. And the bogey tells his story well

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Golf's next big thing held a pre-US Open press conference on Monday. Because it's the next big thing in golf. And the next big things in golf are the pre-US Open press conferences.

In front of the cameras, golf's next big thing smiled at almost every question, and every answer was delivered as if the grin had a tone. On the left side of golf's next big thing was a cursive M, the logo of Malbon, the next big golf apparel sponsor. The next big thing in golf sounded and looked like the next big thing in golf.

Yes, you should see the next big thing in golf do its thing, which is to play golf, and it is.

His movement is electric. His putting stroke is hypnotic. The achievements are many. [Deep breath now …] He is the best novice in the world. This season, while a freshman at Auburn University, he played in 13 games – and won six. His Tigers just won their second national title in three years. He is the first player in college golf history to win all three player of the year awards (Haskins, Hogan, Nicklaus) more than once. The list of what he hasn't done is shorter than the list of what he has.

But if you indeed I want to know the biggest thing in golf, let Jackson Koivun tell you about the bogey. Scorecard square in a round ocean.

The plus-one came earlier this month in the NCAA national team playoff finals, where, on the 4th 9th hole, Koivun was bogged down after two shots. “I hit myself in a very bad place, I'm just on the short side,” said Msombuluko. “Like one in 10 stays green.”

He went well. It's safe. Bogey.

From the green, Koivun's opponent is “kind of wasted.” A double bogey.

Koivun won the hole. Koivun won the game. The Tigers won the title.

“So that was another way I got lucky,” he said.

It is possible.

Maybe not. Learn more about the host, Koivun. He's 21 … he's going on a number somewhere around the age of this week's 135-year-old host, Shinnecock Hills. Last week, he announced that he had turned pro, joining the PGA Tour through its college program – but the thing is, he could do that. last time a year.

But the sophomore who was in college at the time said he didn't feel ready.

“I think my golf game was there,” Koivun said. “I just think I wasn't ready to leave college, and mentally I wasn't ready for the hardships that would come with traveling and everything like that.

“But taking another year to close my mind to what was good for me, and now I'm really ready.”

What has he learned in the past year?

He needed it more, he said.

“Just maturity,” Koivun said. “That's really my answer. I just gave myself another year to grow, to grow as a person, mentally and physically and everything like that.”

These are, of course, all the names, and Koivun is well spoken.

But Shinny makes no exception, and takes no prisoners. Its dunes are amazing. Its wind blows. Koivun said he watched the last time the US Open was played here, in 2018 (when he was 13!) “I just remember it looking so hard,” Koivun said. “Obviously, guys hit balls that move on the green; it's sad. You watch other guys hit shots in certain spots, and when you're young, it's easy to say, how did you do that? Now you come out here, and you're like, OK, that makes a lot of sense now.”

Which means Shinnecock is tough. And there's his match at last year's US Open, his first match at a national tournament. He missed the cut at Oakmont, one of golf's cathedrals. “Oakmont was tough, really,” he said.

But remember, this is golf's next big thing.

And the next great things in golf are not easily minimized, no matter the challenge, no matter the location, or no matter the tournament. That's why they are the next big thing in golf.

And Koivun is that.

“For me, it's about getting accepted into golf,” he said. “Obviously if I go into any event, I will try to win it, but not push too hard and accept that, like you said, it's not a game where you win every week.

“So understanding that and getting that in your head and moving on.”

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