Jackson Koivun enters Sunday in final pairing at Procore, boosting NIL visibility

by Golf NIL Staff

September 14, 2025

The world’s No. 1 amateur, Jackson Koivun, just finished ahead of world No. 1, Scottie Scheffler, to position himself solo second heading into Sunday at the 2025 Procore Championship—earning a final-round pairing that locks him into prime TV coverage and cranks up his exposure on golf’s biggest stage.

The 20-year-old Auburn University junior, trails leader Ben Griffin by one stroke and sits a shot clear of Scheffler, raising the stakes for a historic finish. Koivun could become only the second amateur in two years to win a PGA Tour event, joining Nick Dunlap's iconic 2024 American Express victory.

This week marks Koivun's ninth PGA Tour start, seven of which have come in 2025. He's made six cuts this year, including an active streak of three consecutive top-15 finishes, and a career-best T5 at the Wyndham Championship in August. While he can't earn prize money as an amateur, his marketability is surging because he's playing—and contending—against the best in the world.

Jackson Koivun locks in a career-best T5 finish (to date) at the Wyndham Championship | David Beach/CSM

Ranked No. 1 in the Golf NIL College Men's Rankings with a $1.55 million Golf NIL Valuation, Betterment holds the left-chest logo on his shirt, joined by Titleist and FootJoy for equipment, apparel, and footwear. Foresight Sports provides training technology with its QuadMAX launch monitor, while Auburn, Old Republic Insurance, and Omni Hotels round out his high-profile partner roster.

His performances also elevate Auburn men's golf. Under coach Nick Clinard, the program is proving it can develop players who thrive in professional competition, creating strong recruiting advantages and boosting Auburn's NIL credibility.

Sunday's winner receives a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and spots in the Masters, PGA Championship, and Players Championship. Koivun has already clinched his PGA Tour card through PGA Tour University Accelerated. Regardless, his final-round push is likely to fuel additional partnerships and sponsor exemptions.

Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Tyler Watts is making his own noise. The Grissom High School senior turned his sponsor exemption into weekend play, making the cut in his PGA Tour debut at the Procore. Ranked No. 4 in the Golf NIL High School Boys Rankings and No. 6 in AJGA, Watts is backed by GSE Worldwide and COBRA Golf.

Miles Russell, Golf NIL High School Boys No. 2 and top-ranked AJGA player, also competed in his fourth PGA Tour start this week but missed the cut.

Their presence highlights how golf’s young elites are seizing rare pro-stage opportunities, fast-tracking their journey to build name recognition and brand partnerships.