Aaron Wise was named the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year by the PGA Tour.
The former Oregon Duck, who won the 2016 NCAA individual title, captured his maiden Tour title at the AT&T Byron Nelson last May, edging Marc Leishman by two shots at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
On the season, the 22-year old was one of three rookies to record a win (the others being Austin Cook (RSM Classic) and Satoshi Kodaira (RBC Heritage)), and one of only eight to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs with Wise the only one of the rookie class to make it to East Lake for the season-ending Tour Championship.
He also joined Mackenzie Hughes as the only players to record wins on the Mackenzie Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA Tour.
“For Aaron to have won on the PGA Tour, the Web.com Tour and Mackenzie Tour before the age of 22 is remarkable, and qualifying for the Tour Championship as a rookie proved there is no stage too big for him,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
Following Wise in Rookie of the Year voting were Cook, Kodaira, Keith Mitchell and Joaquin Niemann.
Wise received his award Tuesday in Las Vegas, where he is competing in this week’s Shriners event.
“I didn’t come from a lot; lot of people don’t know that,” said Wise, who was born in South Africa, but moved to California as a 3-year old.
“I didn’t get to travel a bunch when I played junior golf. … Kind of all along it’s been, very, very few moments to shine and I have to take advantage of them.”
