The world’s No. 6-ranked amateur golfer didn’t realize how much he liked competitive golf until he left it.

Aaron Wise, a sophomore Oregon men’s golfer, has been swinging a golf club since he was just a year old, when he would use his neck for support as he swung. The club handle sometimes left welts on his neck and blisters on his hands.

“I swear to God, the golf club actually helped him learn how to walk,” Wise’s mother Karla Kane said.

But by the time he reached middle school, the game was more of a chore than fun. His parents, Kane and Marc Wise, would drop him off at the golf course only to see Aaron goofing around, not taking practice seriously. Marc recognized that his son was losing interest and decided to take Aaron out of tournaments for a couple years.

He took up other sports, such as tennis, and continued to play golf for fun. But near the end of middle school, Wise had to choose between the two. He ultimately returned to competitive golf two years after he left, rediscovering the love for a sport he knew before walking and talking.

“It definitely fired me up,” Wise said. “Taking something away makes you realize how much you miss it.”

In hindsight, Wise likely made the right choice to return. Wise, 19, has won four tournaments in two years at Oregon, quickly establishing himself as the Ducks’ most reliable golfer. His presence has been especially important this season. The Ducks have faced added pressure by virtue of hosting NCAA Championships at the Eugene Country Club May 27-June 1.

But regardless of when and where Oregon’s season ends, it will be Wise’s last with the team. Wise talked with friends and family in the last few months about turning professional, but he didn’t make it official until last week, when he won the Crown Isle Q-School tournament in Courtenay, British Columbia. Wise will begin competing on the Mackenzie Tour of PGA Tour Canada in mid-June.

“It was a tough decision to make and obviously we have it pretty well here playing school golf, but it kind of just made sense,” Wise said.

The win at Crown Isle gave Wise fully exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour, meaning that he has an automatic invitation to every tournament during the season. The winners of each tournament in 2015 took home anywhere from $31,500 to $36,000.

The prize money represents a stark contrast to where Wise was a few years ago.

Aaron Wise has collected four tournaments in his two years at Oregon, just one shy of a school record (Adam Eberhardt/ Emerald).

Between course fees, gear and private coaching, golf is a notoriously expensive sport to pay for, so Wise looked for cheaper ways to play in high school. He found a job as a “cart guy,” cleaning and loaning golf carts to customers at both the Trilogy Golf Club — 10 minutes from Wise’s high school, Santiago, in Corona, California — and The Links at Summerly, which is near his home in Lake Elsinore.

A work day for Wise went as follows: Go to the gym, come back home, go to school, go to golf practice, go to work on the course and return home to do school work before going to bed.

“That’s his life,” Kane said. “Even now when he comes home … it’s the same thing. Every waking moment he is on that golf course if he can be. That’s where he’s happy.”

As Wise started receiving scholarship offers to play college golf, he was faced with another decision. He ultimately chose to come to the University of Oregon, where wet and windy conditions could prepare Wise for professional golf. Wise and his family also felt Oregon head coach Casey Martin gave him the best chance to grow, allowing players the free will to make mistakes and learn from them.

Martin officially signed Wise to a National Letter of Intent in November 2013 during Wise’s senior year of high school. Martin said at the time, “I think he has a chance to become one of the best players in Oregon history to be honest.”

But perhaps even Martin didn’t know Wise would prove him right so quickly.

A year after signing his letter, Wise, in just his fourth collegiate tournament, won the Ka’anapali Intercollegiate in a sudden-death playoff and became the first Oregon freshman to win a tournament. He finished his freshman season with two wins and earned Pac-12 second team honors.

His consistency has become especially important for the team this season.

In April, the Ducks played their last regular season tournament, the Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz. Oregon struggled as a team, while Wise battled with Stanford junior Maverick McNealy throughout three rounds, and each surpassed the previous course record.  Wise ultimately lost by two strokes to McNealy, the top-ranked world amateur, but kept the score close until the very end.

“You can tell he really wants to beat [me], and I really want to beat him,” McNealy said. “But I think what’s really cool about this rivalry is that we’re both good friends off the course and admire each other’s games.”

McNealy and No. 1 Stanford are one of 13 teams Oregon will face in the Tucson Regional May 16-18. The Ducks must finish fifth or higher to reach the NCAA Championships in Eugene. In addition to Wise’s departure, the Ducks will lose seniors Zach Foushee and Brandon McIver at the end of the season, making this their best chance to win a national championship for the foreseeable future.

Aaron Wise putts on hole 9. The Oregon Ducks compete in the first round of the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon. (Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

Aside from his play in tournaments, Oregon teammates have followed Wise’s meticulous approach to practice. As part of his warm-up routine, Wise sets up a mirror opposite his putting stance to square his hips and shoulders and has a line drawn across the mirror to trace the arc of his stroke.

“I’ve watched Aaron with his routine doing that putting drill,” redshirt junior Sulman Raza said. “Ever since, I’ve seen results with my putting and I think everybody else is catching on. We’re all trying to get to that same level as him.”

Turning professional after sophomore year is rare in college golf and is unprecedented in Oregon history. Even Daniel Miernicki, who still owns the Oregon individual wins record with five, didn’t leave the Ducks until after his senior season in 2012.

But those who know Wise best are quick to acknowledge his maturity in golf and beyond. It was only a matter of time before he made the decision.

“I feel I’m playing well enough to make that next step,” Wise said. “I’m excited to make it and ready to see what the future holds.”

Oregon men’s golf is headed for Arizona to compete in the Tucson Regional.

The tournament, hosted by the University of Arizona, will take place May 16-18 at the Gallery Golf Club.

The Ducks knew they would receive an invitation to regionals, but were unsure of their placement. As it turned out, the Oregon drew the regional closest to Eugene.

Oregon must finish in the top five of the 14-team field in order to advance to the NCAA Championships, which they will be hosting at the Eugene Country Club May 27-June 1. Last season, Oregon snuck into NCAA Championships with a fifth-place finish at the Noblesville, Indiana Regional.

In head coach Casey Martin’s 10-year tenure, the Ducks have won one regional in 2010 and finished second in three other seasons.

Other teams in the field of include No. 1 Stanford, No. 12 Wake Forest, No. 13 California and No. 25 North Carolina. Stanford won the Pac-12 Championships in Salt Lake City last week, and also have the Pac-12 Men’s Golfer of the year in junior Maverick McNealy.

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Casey Martin was uncertain the Eugene Country Club would be willing to host the NCAA Golf Championships when the topic came up in 2014.

After the club hosted one of six NCAA regionals that year, NCAA officials encouraged the Oregon men’s golf head coach to bid on the 2016 championships at the Eugene Country Club. But hosting would restrict club members from using the course for several weeks in May during some of the best conditions of golf season.

“Initially, my response was … I can’t foresee a country club in their peak season giving up two to three weeks of their golf course,” Martin said.

As it turned out, interest between the NCAA and Eugene Country Club was mutual. Martin received positive feedback from club general manager Rich Spurlin, and the club’s board of directors voted unanimously in favor of hosting. The NCAA ultimately selected Eugene Country Club as the site for the women’s championships May 20-26 and the men’s championships May 27-June 1.

In addition to three weeks of NCAA presence at the Eugene Country Club, a major clubhouse renovation will immediately follow the end of championships. Although the golf course will remain open, members likely won’t be able to use other amenities until June 2017.

The decision to renovate was voted on by all members, with approximately two thirds voting yes. Spurlin estimates 650 families play golf at the club, and 50 who are only social members. Both the NCAA Championships and renovations will restrict what members can do at the course.

“For a lot of members, this is their home,” Spurlin said. “It’s an exciting time but disruptive.”

Course superintendent Chris Gaughan has seen the benefits of hosting an event at Eugene Country Club. He was a caddy the last time the club hosted NCAA Championships in 1978 and was in attendance for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and 2014 NCAA Regionals.

The course has hosted numerous tournaments, but its reputation grew, especially after 2014.

“This was the toughest regional even though it wasn’t the longest,” Gaughan said. “Everyone was talking about it, so there was a lot of buzz.”

As superintendent, Gaughan is tasked with getting the course up to NCAA standards for the championships. This includes growing and trimming the rough and raking sand traps. Those things come easy to Gaughan. It’s the weather that will be the most unpredictable, something Gaughan and the club staff will have no control over.

“If it gets wet, all that time and effort you put into it goes away,” Gaughan said.

But if nature cooperates, Spurlin and Gaughan believe the championships will build on the club’s success of hosting the 2014 regional. Hosting championships will allow members to watch elite amateur golfers in their backyard and also give them an opportunity to volunteer in the event.

“For members, it’s a big deal,” Gaughan said. “It’s fun when you get involved and host.”

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– No. 5 Oregon softball swept No. 17 Arizona at home this weekend in three straight shutout performances. Cheridan Hawkins recorded her 1,000th-career strikeout Friday and Nikki Udria hit a pair of homers Saturday. The Ducks outscored Arizona 17-0 for the series.

– Oregon wide receiver Dillon Mitchell caught two touchdowns in Saturday’s spring game, leading Mighty Oregon over the Webfoots 21-20. Teammates praised Mitchell throughout spring practices, and the freshman proved those compliments to be true.  Although Mitchell caught two touchdowns from Dakota Prukop, neither he, Travis Jonsen or Terry Wilson stood out from the other quarterbacks in the scrimmage.

– Oregon baseball pitcher Cole Irvin threw his third career shutout in an 8-0 victory over Washington State Saturday. Irvin struck out 13 batters over nine complete innings.

– Oregon beach volleyball ended its season Saturday at the Pac-12 Championships following a 3-2 loss to No. 5-seeded Arizona State. The Ducks finished the season 2-10 in their third year as a team.

– Oregon men’s golf finished in a tie for sixth Sunday at the Pac-12 Championships in Salt Lake City. Aaron Wise finished ninth individually, shooting a combined one-under for the tournament. The Ducks now await their NCAA regional placement, which will go from May 16-18.

– Former Oregon basketball forward Elgin Cook has been invited to the NBA Draft Combine, according to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. Dillon Brooks is currently listed as an alternate for the combine.

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Oregon men’s golf finished in the middle of the pack at the Pac-12 Championships in Salt Lake City Sunday, tying for sixth with Colorado (+39).

Utah hosted the four-round, par-71 tournament at The Country Club, where Stanford pulled away early and never relinquished the lead. The Cardinal finished 18-under, 29 strokes ahead of second place Cal (+11). Five of six Stanford golfers finished in the top 15 or better.

The Ducks officially finish tied for 6th at the Pac-12 Championship. Here is the final team leaderboard. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/hKCakyAkBi

— Oregon Men's Golf (@OregonMGolf) May 1, 2016

Aaron Wise and Thomas Lim carried Oregon, shooting one-under and four-over respectively for the tournament. Wise finished tied for ninth – the seventh time he’s finished in the top 10 this season.

The Ducks were without senior Zach Foushee, who didn’t make the trip due to an undisclosed injury. Nigel Lett filled in for Foushee, but finished tied for 64th (+23). Sulman Raza shot 14-over and Brandon McIver finished 19-over for the tournament. Edwin Yi finished in the top 30, shooting eight-over for the tournament.

Jon Rahm of Arizona State came back to win the individual title, finishing 12-under.

Oregon has never won the Pac-12 Championship during head coach Casey Martin’s tenure, but finished as high as second in 2014.

Ultimately, the Ducks’ sixth place finish will have little impact on them moving forward. The team should be a guarantee to make the NCAA Regionals, where the top five teams from each of the six tournaments will advance to the 2016 NCAA Championships in Eugene. Last season, the Ducks secured the fifth and final spot in the Noblesville, Indiana regional to make the championship tournament.

2016 NCAA Regionals will go from May 16-18.

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The San Francisco 49ers  selected former Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner with the seventh overall pick Thursday in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Buckner will reunite with newly hired 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, who coached Buckner in 2012 — Kelly’s last season at Oregon. Arik Armstead, who played on Oregon’s defensive line with Buckner from 2012-2014, was San Francisco’s first round pick in 2015.

Welcome to the family, @DeForestBuckner! #49ersDraft pic.twitter.com/CrstGQ6haH

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) April 29, 2016

In addition to his 6-foot-7, 293-pound frame, Buckner’s athleticism was highly coveted going into the draft. John Kosko of Pro Football Focus listed Buckner as the most athletic interior lineman, and said “[Buckner] was by far the top-graded interior defensive lineman in the nation last season.”

Although many analysts project him as an interior lineman in the NFL, Buckner has the versatility to play more than one position. Buckner played every position on Oregon’s 3-4 defensive line, and believes he could fill in several roles at the next level.

“I’ve got film to back it up,” Buckner said March 10 at Oregon’s pro day. “Wherever the coaches need — outside, inside — I can fit.”

Buckner is the highest-picked Oregon defensive lineman since 2013, when Dion Jordan went third overall to the Miami Dolphins. Buckner’s selection was also the second consecutive year an Oregon player was picked in the first round, following Marcus Mariota and Armstead in 2015.

From 2012-2015, Buckner appeared in 43 games for the Ducks, recording 232 total tackles and 18 sacks. As a senior in 2015, Buckner was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

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Oregon appeared to be starting from scratch at center following the departure of fifth-year senior Matt Hegarty last season.

Both Hegarty and quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. were injured in their last collegiate game – a 47-41, triple-overtime collapse to TCU in the Alamo Bowl last January. The two watched from the sidelines as their replacements, backup center Doug Brenner and backup quarterback Jeff Lockie, fell apart in the second half.

Aside from Lockie, several errant snaps from Brenner prevented Oregon’s offense from getting in sync. Onlookers saw a glimpse of Oregon’s future at center, and it wasn’t pretty.

Behind Brenner, only redshirt freshman Jake Hanson had practiced extensively in the position. But Oregon’s staff didn’t want to waste Hanson’s redshirt on one game, and opted not to bring him into the Alamo Bowl. Instead, Hanson spent his freshman season patiently waiting for his opportunity.

Although Hanson didn’t get any in-game experience in 2015, he spent plenty of time practicing with the first and second teams, which, according to head coach Mark Helfrich, gave Hanson a leg up learning Oregon’s system. As Oregon’s spring practice nears its ending, Hanson is relishing the position.

“Practicing with the ones and twos last year gave me an opportunity to get a good grasp of the offense and I’ve just been building on that ever since,” Hanson said. “Now I feel like I’ve been running this offense a lot longer than a year.”

Hanson’s transition to Oregon’s starting center seemed unlikely when he first arrived on campus last fall. The Eureka, California, native never played center in high school, and he expected to continue his more familiar offensive tackle position in college.

But Oregon needed a long-term plan at center. Hegarty, who came to Oregon as a graduate transfer from Notre Dame in 2015, only had one year of college eligibility remaining.

Early last fall, Oregon offensive line coach Steve Greatwood took notice of Hanson’s quick grasp of the offense. Greatwood asked Hanson to take snaps at center before practice one particular morning, and his new role stuck.

“It was hard at first because snapping the ball is a lot different when you haven’t done it at any other position before,” Hanson said. “But it got easier as [time] went on.”

Throughout last season, teammates on both sides of the ball noticed Hanson’s patience paying off.

“That guy is an animal – already,” sophomore defensive tackle Canton Kaumatule said. “All the starters from last year knew week-by-week he was getting a lot better. I’m really excited for him this year.”

The Ducks return two starters, Tyrell Crosby and Cameron Hunt, from last year’s offensive line. Hanson appears to be the favorite to win the center job, while Jake Pisarcik will likely fill one of the guard positions and could also spell Hanson in the middle.

After losing experience across the line, the unit has experienced growing pains this spring. But with several new players emerging, including Hanson, it’s simply a matter of improving rapport.

“Lot of new faces on the offensive line, lot of the freshmen coming up and starting to play,” Pisarcik said. “I think it’s just going to take a little bit with the chemistry, to get everyone aware of what’s going on … As we keep practicing, the chemistry will build.”

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From the moment Oregon won the bid to host the 2016 NCAA Championships for men’s and women’s golf at the Eugene Country Club, there was inherent pressure surrounding the team to play well this season.

“Any time you have a big carrot in front of you, there’s going to be more pressure,” men’s golf head coach Casey Martin said Monday. “But it’s a good kind of pressure. It’s motivating and it’s galvanized a lot of the guys.”

The Ducks are still not guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Championships.Martin put in the 2016 bid believing it would present his team an opportunity to contend for its first championship in program history. But also for Martin, a Eugene native, the bid offered a chance to showcase the course he was raised on.

“Growing up in Eugene and this golf course, it’s been a love affair with me,” Martin said. “I’ve spent my entire life out here. It’s a big part of wanting to give back and share a special place that a lot of people aren’t familiar with.”

After hosting one of six NCAA regionals during the 2014 postseason, Martin was encouraged by NCAA officials to bid for the 2016 championship. Once Martin received approval from Eugene Country Club general manager Rich Spurlin and the club’s board of directors, he submitted a bid for the club to host its first NCAA Championship since 1978.

“Eugene embraces amateur athletics and Eugene Country Club loves their Ducks,” Spurlin said. “When the idea came up we were delighted.”

Eugene Country Club will host the women’s championships from May 20-25 and men’s championships May 27-June 1.

The course will play differently in championships than what the Ducks are used to. The front nine and back nine will be flipped in an effort to make the end of rounds more compelling.

Although this will be different from what the Ducks are accustomed to, the possibility of competing for a championship on their home course remains advantageous.

“Being able to play here three times a week, that experience is something we’re going to have over everybody else,” Oregon sophomore Aaron Wise said. “Being home, being able to sleep in our owns beds and go to our own gyms – all of that is going to play into it.”

During the last two seasons, Oregon has played its best in the fall before dropping off in the spring. At the start of this season, the team discussed how it was going to reverse that trend. Oregon started slow in the fall, but have since improved in the spring, placing fifth or better in four of its last five tournaments.

Most recently, the Ducks finished third at Pasatiempo Golf Club’s Western Intercollegiate, and Wise finished one stroke behind individual winner Maverick McNealy of Stanford.

“To come in third at Pasatiempo shows we’re really close,” Wise said. “We’re looking to peak, and now is the time to do it.”

After playing in the Pac-12 Championships April 30-May 1, Oregon will have to finish fifth or better in its regional to advance to the NCAA championship in Eugene. Often characterized as the toughest week in collegiate golf, it’s far from ideal, but the Ducks accept the challenge.

“Your whole season comes down to three rounds and most of the time you’re shipped to some place you’re not familiar with,” Martin said. “It is what it is, and we have to be ready for it.”

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Oregon women’s club water polo’s seniors still remember the heartbreak ending to their freshmen season.

Only once in the last 12 seasons has Oregon not won the Northwest Division title. It occurred in 2013, when then-freshmen Annie Arcuri, Emily England, Brittany Haley and Brett Higgins watched as their ‘A’ team lost to Portland State, 12-11, in the Northwest Division Championship game. Those seniors were denied a chance to play in one last national tournament.

“It was painful to watch,” England said. “To see what it was like to have all those years of nationals and then your senior year you don’t make it.”

This season Oregon enters the 2016 Northwest Division Championship with a No. 1 seed, thanks to a 7-1 regular season record. Learning from previous seasons, the four seniors and first-year coach Steffen Land made a deliberate effort to set goals and, more importantly, create a fun atmosphere.

“We all wanted that happy-go-lucky fun team vibe, because in years past it hasn’t necessarily been that,” Arcuri said.

The team asked Land to coach the 2016 season after their last coach, Kenji Hammon, was no longer available. While previous coaches were often former Oregon men’s club players similar in age, Land, 51, brought three decades of playing experience from his upbringing in the Netherlands. He also plays for the US water polo Masters team.

“There’s a little bit of distance between us in age that helped them – at least in the beginning – to focus,” Land said.

When Land accepted the offer, he established that he didn’t want to be an intense coach. Instead, Land intended to build a foundation that would work for every player, regardless of their role.

“I told them, ‘I’ll start slow, let’s have fun, let’s enjoy it and then we’ll build from there,’” Land said. “That has worked out very nicely.”

The season has exceeded Land’s expectations, but it hasn’t been without its setbacks.

Haley, who played a key role as Oregon’s hole set in front of the opposing goal, was lost for the season when she tore her pectoral muscle while taking a shot. England sat out a few weeks of the season with a concussion, as did freshman Emme Van Voris of the ‘B’ team.

In addition, Land says the team’s weakness continues to be its tendency to get rattled when games become more physical. This was true in March, when Oregon lost its only regular season game, an 8-6 decision against Portland State.

“There’s an interesting rivalry going on… they know each other very well,” Land said. “Those games get more physical than they need to be.”

Growing up in the Portland metro area, Arcuri, England and Higgins played in high school with several players from Portland State. But in large part, this rivalry has developed as a result of Oregon’s loss to Portland State in 2013.

“We kind of have this vendetta against them because they beat us that one time,” Arcuri said. “We always want to beat them.”

Coming back from spring break, Land spent a few weeks of practice focused on conditioning, which were among the most intense of the season.

“They weren’t too happy with me,” Land said.

This week, however, the team has focused on its mental approach to regionals. As the seniors remember 2013, advancing to nationals isn’t a certainty.

“We know what it looks like to not win,” England said. “We’re pretty excited… There’s a definite significance to these regionals for our seniors especially.”

Oregon begins the Northwest Division Championship, in Pullman, Wash. on Saturday against Western Washington at 1 p.m.

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Oregon got off to a fast start at the Western Intercollegiate, its last regular season tournament. Playing at the Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California, the Ducks shot nine-under in Monday’s opening round and held a four-stroke lead over second place Stanford.

But in the end, the Ducks (+9) settled for third behind Stanford (-9) and USC (+1) after shooting a combined 14-over 364 in Wednesday’s final round.

Aaron Wise shot a career-low seven-under 63 on Monday, which also tied a Pasatiempo course record. Going into Wednesday, Wise held a one stroke lead over Stanford’s Maverick McNealy.

McNealy, however, shot a six-under 64 in the final round to beat out Wise for first place. Both golfers were named semifinalists for the Ben Hogan Award on Wednesday, given annually to the most outstanding collegiate amateur golfer.

Heck of a battle out there today! Congrats to @MavMcNealy on the W 🏆 Now I'm the one who wants a rematch!! #Pac12Championship ⛳️

— Aaron Wise (@aaronwise_) April 14, 2016

Edwin Yi kept the Ducks afloat shooting even par in the first two rounds before dropping to six-under on Wednesday. Zach Foushee finished tied for 12th, shooting even par for the tournament. Sulman Raza and Nigel Lett both took a step back in the last round with eight-over 78’s.

Thomas Lim, returning to the Oregon lineup for the first time since November, finished 12-over for the tournament. Finally, Brandon McIver shot five-over across three rounds playing as an individual.

The Ducks now enter championship season with aspirations to win the 2016 NCAA Championships to be played the Eugene Country Club. Next up, Oregon will play in the Pac-12 Tournament in Salt Lake City, beginning on April 29.

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