THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY WORKDAY

June 7, 2024

Jackson Koivun

Muirfield Village

Quick Quotes

Q. Looks like you have about a 99 percent chance of making the cut right now. What does it mean to you to be able to come here in your first start and make a cut and be able to play the weekend on the TOUR?

JACKSON KOIVUN: It's awesome. Today played really hard. I think today is probably the hardest golf conditions and course I ever played. I'm pretty happy with how I played. When I missed the fairway I wasn't very smart in what I did, but other than that I played solid. It means so much to come out here with that sponsor's exemption and hopefully make the cut and play this weekend.

Q. Those two birdies on the back are obviously going to be big as you make the cut here. Did you know at all where your position was, did anything change as you reached the back nine there?

JACKSON KOIVUN: Yeah, I made an unfortunate double on 10, and I checked, I saw the leaderboard kind of posted up and the projected cut was 4. In the back of my mind I'm like, you got a lot of birdie holes coming up and it could move to 5, so as long as you get through 10 or 11 and 12, they were playing straight in the wind and playing really hard, I had some good opportunities coming in, just needed to play smart coming through.

Q. Made cut gets you another point in PGA U Accelerated. How much have you evaluated what that looks like and what that could mean for you?

JACKSON KOIVUN: I've definitely looked at it. I know I'm pretty far up there, and every point is so valuable now, trying to make that push to get to 20. I think I'm at 15 or 16 right now. Hopefully I can get a couple more starts and kind of earn that TOUR card. And, you know, there's obviously a bunch of other opportunities with the Palmer Cup and Walker Cup and all that stuff, but I'm looking forward to what the future has.

Q. Double on 10, but was there a swing or shot that you felt kind of turned the round for you there midway through?

JACKSON KOIVUN: My layup shot on 11 was a really good swing. Mentally, it kind of set me in. Then I hit a pretty good wedge shot up there and didn't make the putt. But those two swings had me feeling pretty good. I just knew that I had to stay patient, and I was rolling it good, I hadn't really made anything all day, but if I stayed patient and made some putts coming in I could definitely make the cut.

Q. What did you see on 18 green there?

JACKSON KOIVUN: I hit a pretty poor tee shot in that bunker. I hit a really, really good shot in there. I think I got a little ahead of myself in trying to make it. It was a little into the wind on the putt, and the wind's been really affecting the putts, and I just didn't want to leave it short and just kind of ran it by a little bit. I thought it would be dead straight coming back and I either pulled it a little bit or it broke on me, but hopefully it's still enough to get through.

Q. How was it like playing with Brandt Snedeker?

JACKSON KOIVUN: Brandt was awesome. I don't think I could have asked for a better playing partner. He was great to me, talkative, kind of showed me the ropes here and there. Very funny dude. I really appreciate what he did for me this past two days.

Q. Do you think it helped you kind of settle your nerves a little bit, like going into the round? Obviously this is a big event for you to be making your TOUR start.

JACKSON KOIVUN: Definitely. Right off the gate he was very nice and talkative, and it helped me kind of just settle into the round. Those first two holes yesterday were, definitely had, felt some nerves. Then today it was not as nervous, which was nice. We hit it off great and I can't say enough good things about him.

Q. I got to talk with your parents. Obviously they were out here following you hole by hole. Did that help you kind of like knowing that they're there supporting you, did that kind of help you get through your last two rounds?

JACKSON KOIVUN: Yeah, definitely. They're so supportive, I couldn't be happier that they're out here, and just trying to make them proud.

Q. Yesterday I saw you went hit balls after your range session, but you were on your phone a little bit. I assume you got a bunch of texts after an even-par round. What's been the support been like from friends and people at home?

JACKSON KOIVUN: It's been great.

Q. I assume your phone's been blowing up.

JACKSON KOIVUN: Yeah, it has been. I had to put it away on the range, otherwise I would be just scrolling for an hour or so. I've had a lot of support and a lot of guys just telling me just to go keep being me and go on to the next round. Just because you shoot even in the first round, it's great, but it's not over. Obviously I was 5-over through 10 today and wasn't on track to really do anything special, but just tried building off that support and just trying to get back to me and, yeah, the support's been great.