Aaron Wise wins first PGA TOUR title at AT&T Byron Nelson

Aaron Wise took a major leap in his young PGA TOUR career, winning the AT&T Byron Nelson by three strokes. Will this be the start of something even bigger for the 21-year-old out of Oregon?

Aaron Wise did something special this weekend at the AT&T Byron Nelson. It’s not just that he won his first career PGA TOUR event. It’s how he did it. At an event bearing the name of one of golf’s all-time greats, Wise was all but flawless, bringing down some stiff competition from today’s top guys.

Wise closed out the weather-delayed final round at Trinity Forest with a blemish-free round of six-under 65. He beat Marc Leishman by three shots, as the Aussie veteran slowed down the stretch.

It was a remarkable display of golf. At a course that gave up some impressive scores in its first year, it wasn’t simply a birdie bonanza for everyone. Wise simply played as close to a perfect week of golf as you can imagine. It was the type of performance that draws some lofty comparisons, like this one from Jonathan Wall of PGATOUR.com.

Consider it quoted and saved. And while it may be a little bit presumptuous, it’s not like he’s just making things up.

If you haven’t heard of Aaron Wise before this week, here’s a little back story. Wise won the NCAA individual and team titles at the University of Oregon in 2016. He turned pro after that season, and won in his second start on Canada’s McKenzie Tour just two months later.

Wise spent the 2017 season on the Web.com Tour, winning once and earning his PGA TOUR membership for this year. Despite some rookie struggles, he was 10-for-17 with five top-25s heading into the Nelson. He finished second to Jason Day two weeks ago at Quail Hollow, too.

What’s next for Aaron Wise?

All in all, that’s a pretty powerful resume for a rookie. While I certainly won’t crown this kid the next coming of Tiger Woods, he’s also in some lofty company. As Kyle Porter of CBS Sports writes, winning young on the PGA TOUR is still a really, really hard thing to do.

"He joins the likes of Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth as golfers to win in their first 30 starts on the PGA Tour in the last few decades. This is not a comprehensive list, but it contextualizes what it means for a 21-year old to earn a PGA Tour victory, no matter how weak the field is, at his age."

"Rory McIlroy: 18th event | age: 20"

"Jordan Spieth: 24th event | age: 19"

"Justin Thomas: 43rd event | age: 22"

"Jason Day: 64th event | age: 22"

"Rickie Fowler: 73rd event | age: 23More from Pro Golf NowGolf Rumors: LIV set to sign Masters Champion in stunning dealFantasy Golf: Grant Thornton Invitational DFS Player SelectionsBrutal return leaves Will Zalatoris looking towards 2024Stars You Know at World Champions Cup Starts Thursday at ConcessionFantasy Golf: An Early Look at the 2024 Masters Tournament"

Think about that for a moment – four No. 1 players in the world, and five of the top young stars on TOUR today. These guys are major winners, millionaires several dozen times over, and inarguably the future of the sport. Aaron Wise, at least for the moment, has the beginnings of that same trajectory.

What bodes better for Wise’s future is the fact that, while this was a hot week, it was one with almost no flaws. He averaged just a hair under 300 yards off the tee, ranked 30th in the field. More impressive than his power, though, was his surgical precision. Wise hit 50 of 56 fairways (tied for sixth in the field) and a RIDICULOUS 66 of 72 greens.

With an equally hot putter – Wise ranked seventh in the field in strokes gained putting – you don’t have to be a genius to do the math. If he carries this type of performance forward in any meaningful way, we’re going to hear a lot more from him in the (very) near future.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. But then again, look at those five names above, and remember that we said this same thing about each of them along the way.

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Does the future hold the same for Wise as it did – and still does – for the players whose path he is following? Only time will tell us that. This week was simply a taste of the vast potential he has.

If he even scratches the surface of what that looked like this week, this is going to be a fun ride.