'She's someone I'll lean on tomorrow': Aaron Wise makes heartfelt admission before final round
SILVIS, IL - JULY 05: Golfer Aaron Wise hits his shot on the 2 tee during the final round of the John Deere Classic on July 05, 2026, at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 05 PGA, Golf Herren John Deere Classic EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26070535
SILVIS, IL - JULY 05: Golfer Aaron Wise hits his shot on the 2 tee during the final round of the John Deere Classic on July 05, 2026, at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 05 PGA, Golf Herren John Deere Classic EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26070535
Aaron Wise is one round away from completing a remarkable comeback, and his wife Reagan will be right beside him on the bag.
The 30-year-old finished Saturday's third round at the ISCO Championship one stroke off the lead after carding a 4-under 66, leaving him in contention for his first PGA Tour victory since 2018.
"She's definitely someone I'll lean on tomorrow," Wise said according to a post shared by the PGA Tour on X.
He believes Reagan's presence on the bag helps him stay focused on the moment rather than the outcome.
SILVIS, IL - JULY 05: Reagan Trussell the fiancà and caddy of PGA, Golf Herren golfer Aaron Wise takes his putter on the 9th hole during the final round of the John Deere Classic on July 5, 2026, at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 05 PGA John Deere Classic EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260705201
SILVIS, IL - JULY 05: Reagan Trussell the fiancà and caddy of PGA, Golf Herren golfer Aaron Wise takes his putter on the 9th hole during the final round of the John Deere Classic on July 5, 2026, at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 05 PGA John Deere Classic EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260705201
"Just to keep me present, keep me in the moment, and have fun no matter what's going on," he added according to the post.
Those qualities have become especially important for Wise, who stepped away from professional golf in 2023 to prioritize his mental health and has been open about the challenges he faced during his time away from the game.
Ever since then, the American has significantly toned down his schedule. In 2024, he appeared at just one PGA Tour event. A year later, Wise racked up 12 appearances across the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, as recorded on the PGA Tour website.
However, with Reagan on the bag, Wise has started enjoying the game once again.
"It's someone I feel like I can trust and just enjoy spending my time out there with," Wise said Saturday. "As time has gone on, people have been trying to get me to get a caddie, and I've been wanting to get a caddie, but honestly, she's been doing such a good job.”
Wise finds himself in 2nd place at the HCC Championship Course. With a 4-under in the third round, the 30-year-old stands at 14-under for the tournament.
While he remains firmly in contention for a long-awaited PGA Tour victory, his return to this position has been anything but straightforward.
Aaron Wise opens up on his return
Wise has never shied away from talking about his mental health and his feelings on the game. Before the third round, he commented on his journey.
"It's been a long journey back and there's been a lot of learning, a lot of growing and a lot of hard work. Last week was a great step to be in contention,” Wise said, as shown in an X post by PGA Tour. "This is just more good golf and another chance to be there on the weekend and learn from it and grow."
After posting his best PGA Tour finish since 2023 at last week's John Deere Classic, Wise has carried that momentum into the ISCO Championship, where the 2018 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year enters Sunday's final round one stroke off the lead, with wife Reagan playing a key role on the bag.
Do you think Wise will be able to lift the ISCO Championship on Sunday? Share your opinion in the comments.
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Written by
Avishek Sarkar
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav