Key keywords: Jackson Koivun, 2024 3M Open, PGA Tour, TPC Twin Cities, third round golf leader, amateur golf standout, last-minute tournament alternate, historic amateur PGA Tour performance, underdog golf story, 3M Open final round Nineteen-year-old Auburn University sophomore and amateur golfer Jackson Koivun delivered one of the most remarkable performances in recent PGA Tour history on Saturday, carding a bogey-free 10-under 61 at TPC Twin Cities to take a two-stroke lead heading into the final round of the 2024 3M Open. Koivun, who was the first alternate for the tournament field and only received confirmation he could play 90 minutes before his Thursday tee time, now sits at 19-under 194 through 54 holes, making him the first amateur player in 3M Open history to hold the lead going into the final round, and just the third amateur in the last 12 years to lead a PGA Tour event after 54 holes. His third round was a masterclass in precision and composure: Koivun carded six birdies on the front nine, including four straight between holes 3 and 6, and added four more birdies on the back nine to match the lowest round of his competitive career. He hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation and averaged 291 yards off the tee, outperforming a field of 155 professional golfers including past major champions and long-time PGA Tour standouts. Brendon Todd, a three-time PGA Tour winner, sits in second place at 17-under, with 2022 3M Open champion Tony Finau a further stroke back at 16-under. Koivun told reporters after his round that he had no expectations coming into the week, having driven four hours from his summer home in Wisconsin to the Twin Cities on Wednesday just to be on standby for a possible spot in the field. “I’m just having fun out here, no pressure at all,” he said. “I came here to gain experience playing against the best players in the world, and everything that’s happened since Thursday has been a total bonus. I’m going to approach tomorrow the same way I did the first three rounds: play my game, enjoy the crowd, and see where it lands.” If Koivun wins on Sunday, he will become just the 10th amateur golfer in PGA Tour history to win a sanctioned event, and the first since Phil Mickelson won the 1991 Northern Telecom Open as an Arizona State University student. As an amateur, he would be ineligible for the $1.4 million first-place prize, which would go to the lowest-scoring professional if he takes the title. Tournament officials reported that Saturday’s attendance was 22% higher than the third round of the 2023 event, with fans packing the course to follow Koivun’s group throughout the day.