Young superstar Jackson Koivun is set to make his highly anticipated professional debut at the John Deere Classic.
Koivun has dominated the amateur ranks on the NCAA, and the number one ranked amateur in the world recently turned pro after an impressive showing at the US Open.
The 20-year-old achieved joint-low amateur status at Shinnecock Hills, alongside Ryder Cowan who also shot five-over par for the event.
Now he turns his attention to the John Deere Classic, hoping to become the first player to win on their professional debut on the PGA Tour in 13 years, and the sixth player to ever achieve this feat.
Before Koivun’s pro debut, we’re taking a look at the five best professional debuts the PGA Tour has ever seen.
1. Ben Crenshaw- 1973 San Antonio Open
Fresh off a historic college career at the University of Texas, where he won three straight NCAA individual titles, Crenshaw made his highly anticipated professional debut at the 1973 San Antonio Open.
The golfing world hoped Crenshaw would live up to his lofty expectations, but incredible, he exceeded them.
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He blew the field away completely, finishing the tournament with a winning score of 25-under par to take the victory in his professional debut.
Crenshaw went on to win 19 times on the PGA Tour, including two Masters wins at Augusta National. And the signs were there from his very first start.
2. Russell Henley- 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii
Russell Henley exploded onto the scene for his professional debut. Not only did he win at the very first time of asking, but he smashed PGA Tour records on the way to doing so.
Henley opened his professional account with a pair of 63s to storm into the lead. He then closed out the weekend with five straight birdies on Sunday to win the Sony Open in 2013.
The American finished the event at 24-under par, which set the all-time scoring record for a 72-hole tournament by a PGA Tour rookie. He broke the Sony Open scoring record by four shots, and became the first PGA Tour rookie to win his debut in 12 years.
13 years later, and he’s yet to better this win with a major championship, but he has won a total of six times on the PGA Tour.
3. Marty Fleckman- 1967 Cajun Classic
Marty Fleckman’s 1967 Cajun Classic win was an all-time Cinderella Story.
Just months prior, he had led the U.S. Open after three rounds as an amateur. When he officially turned pro at the Cajun Classic, he shot a final-round 67 to force a playoff against seasoned vets Bob Goalby and Jack Montgomery, winning on the first extra hole.
Fleckman didn’t go on to achieve his full potential. He didn’t have a Hall of Fame career, and this was his only win on the PGA Tour.
But he’s remembered to this day as the first player in the modern era to win his first-ever Tour start.
4. Robert Gamez- 1990 Northern Telecom Tucson Open
Robert Gamez made an immediate impact on the PGA Tour, shooting an opening round 65 at the Northern Telecom Tuscon Open, before holding off a charging field to win by four strokes in his very first professional tournament.
What makes his debut era even more legendary is what happened just two months later: he won his third-ever start at the Bay Hill Invitational by incredibly holing out a 176-yard 7-iron on the 18th hole to beat Greg Norman by one.
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Gamez won the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award that year, and achieved his best-ever major finish, a T12 at The Open Championship.
But he only managed to add one win to his career total on the PGA Tour throughout the rest of his career.
5. Garrett Willis- 2001 Touchstone Energy Tucson Open
The second debut winner of the Tuscon Open on this list is Garrett Willis, who was a virtual unknown when he showed up to this event 11 years after Gamez’s win. He had spent years grinding on various other tours, but came ready for the big time.
Playing in his first official PGA Tour event as a member, Willis finished his tournament with a 65 on Sunday to storm into the lead, and win by a single shot. He became the fourth player to win a PGA Tour event on debut, and the first since Gamez at the same event.
Amazingly, this was Willis’ only ever win on the PGA Tour, and he played his last event in 2016.
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