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Jackson Koivun has reluctantly revealed that he would likely pick Russell Henley or Justin Thomas to partner with on the first morning of the Presidents Cup at Medinah later this month.
Koivun was the surprise name included by Brandt Snedeker as the US captain announced his six picks for the event in Illinois.
What do you think of Brandt Snedeker picking Jackson Koivun for the Presidents Cup?
How many points do you think the youngster will deliver at Medinah?
While there were plenty of calls for the 21-year-old to get a chance after he won the 3M Open on his third professional start on the PGA Tour, it did appear that Koivun not managing to get past the first FedEx Cup playoff event was likely to dash his hopes of a first Team USA appearance.
However, Snedeker confirmed on Tuesday that Koivun has made the team. The question now is who will play alongside the boy wonder at Medinah?
Jackson Koivun suggests who he would like to play alongside at the Presidents Cup
Although the American team should still retain the Presidents Cup relatively comfortably, this year’s pairings could have added significance ahead of the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
But when asked on the Fore Play Podcast who he would pick to be paired with on Thursday morning at Medinah, Koivun initially refused to give a name.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
He did however, go on to mention two players he knows quite well.
“I can’t do that,” he said, when first asked.
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“I would take anyone. I’ve known Russ and JT for a while, so I’d say probably one of them two,” Koivun replied when pressed for an answer.
Why Jackson Koivun does not expect to be paired with Scottie Scheffler
Another player who is perhaps unsure of who he will be playing with is the world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler played well alongside Russell Henley two years ago. However, that partnership endured a torrid time at the most recent Ryder Cup.
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Some fans would inevitably love to see Scheffler and Koivun paired up. But when asked why he did not pick the four-time major champion, Koivun admitted that he cannot see them being sent out together.
“I just feel like he’s going to play with someone he’s more friendly with. He sent me a nice text, but I’ve never really talked to him. It will be nice to get to know him,” he said.
Snedeker made a couple of brave calls by selecting Koivun and Jacob Bridgeman.
While he will be very wary of becoming only the second American captain to ever lose at the Presidents Cup, it would certainly be good for the event to have Snedeker take one or two risks with his pairings.
It would definitely create a huge buzz if he paired the best player on the planet with the prospect many are tipping to succeed him in the coming years.
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