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Will to win drives Tredway at Oregon By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN EUGENE -- Carrying an impressive 72.8-stroke average through four fall collegiate golf tournaments, University of Oregon junior Andrew Tredway believes he's emerged as a competitive major-college player. "I've improved my game a lot, especially my ball-striking and my mental game,," says Tredway, 22, a former Ashland High golfer. "I have a lot of confidence going right now." Tredway's development as one of the top three players in Oregon's lineup has helped the Ducks climb to No. 10 in the nation as a team. No other Pac-10 team is ranked higher. "Right now, I'm hitting the ball better than a lot of college players," says Tredway. "If my short game can catch up, I think I'll do real well." Tredway finished seventh individually in the Husky Invitational in Seattle last fall and 12th in the Nike Invitational at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis. Oregon won team titles in both of those tournaments. "I had some real good rounds, including two 68s at the Pacific tournament and the Husky Invitational,"' says Tredway. "The better I played, the more confident I got. "I think I'm going to be ready for the start of the spring season in February," he says. "I've worked hard on my game and I've seen how much it can pay off." Starting Dec. 17, Tredway will play in the Dixie Invitational amateur tournament in Miami, Fla. "It'll give me a chance to see a lot of eastern golfers that I don't get to see much," says Tredway, who was the low western regional qualifier for the U.S. Public Links tournament last summer and advanced to the semifinals of the Northwest Invitational amateur tournament. "That's the kind of competition that pushes you to get better." Oregon, which finished fifth in the Pac-10 tournament last spring, is the top-rated Pac-10 team in the nation by Golf Stat, a national rating service. Other players in Oregon's lineup include Adrian Burtner, Ryan Lavoye, Ben Crane and Jeff Barney. "We have six real good players now," says Tredway. "I think the rankings are right. We are the best team in the Pac-10." Oregon men's golf coach Steve Nosler says Tredway has been a pleasant surprise during the last year. "Andrew has really worked hard on his game, and it has paid off," says Nosler. "I'm happy for him because he's such a good kid. "I played with him and a few other kids from my team a few weeks ago at Eugene Country Club," says Nosler. "Andrew shot a no-bogey 65 (7 under par) from the tips (back tees). That's impressive from there." The 65 was one shot off the Eugene Country Club course record. "I hit the ball real well that day," says Tredway. "My added length helped me a lot because the course was pretty wet. "When I step up to the ball now, I feel a lot more confident," says Tredway. "I know I can play with those guys (the top players in college golf) now and be competitive." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,