Andrew Tredway, a junior from Ashland, will be one of the University of Oregon golf team's primary weapons in the NCAA Championships today through Saturday.

The tournament is at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., a 7,196-yard, par-72 venue.

Tredway has helped Oregon to a No. 15 national ranking by placing in the top 20 of five tournaments.

His best finish was seventh place in the Husky Invitational last fall, when the Ducks played four events before taking the winter off.

Tredway's two strongest spring showings have come toward the end of the season.

In late April, he tied for ninth in the Pac-10 Conference Championships, shooting a career-best 66 en route to a four-round stroke average of 70.8.

A week later, he tied for 12th in the U.S. Intercollegiate, firing a 2-over-par 215 for three rounds.

Tredway has played all 39 rounds for the Ducks, posting a stroke average of 73.82.

"This is one of the toughest courses I've seen, but I'm feeling really good about my game," Tredway said from his hotel room Tuesday evening. "I'm driving the ball really well, and that's going to be important on this course because there are a lot of long par 4s."

The Ducks played two practice rounds at Hazeltine this week and Tredway said the course should be challenging throughout the season-ending tournament.

"Most courses have five or six holes that are somewhat easy, but this course doesn't seem to have any," he said. "The holes are long, the greens are fast and the pin placements are challenging.

"Par is a good score on this course."

Weather has also been a factor this week in Minnesota with temperatures in the 40s along with a stiff breeze. However, a warming trend was due in today.

Ben Crane leads Oregon with a 72.90 average, followed by Ryan Lavoie (73.38), Adrian Burtner (73.57), Tredway and Derek Croskrey (74.49).

Oregon is making its second straight NCAA appearance and its 11th overall. The Ducks' best finish was seventh in 1977.

There are 30 teams and six individuals in the NCAA field, which will be cut in half following the second round of the 72-hole event.

UNLV returns to defend its title, as do its closest pursuers from a year ago, Clemson and Georgia.

Last year's individual champion, James McLean of Minnesota, is also back and will be playing before hometown fans. He figures to be challenged by Bryce Molder of Georgia Tech, the nation's top-ranked player and last season's player of the year.