Having taken up golf just five years ago, Von Gordon ends up joining prestigious Big Ten program
With the way Von Gordon has been playing golf while a student at Santa Ynez High School, one might think he’s been at it since he was a little kid. Not quite so.
“So, yeah, I started it up in 2020,” he said. “I think tail end of 2019 or 2020, I started golf; and you know I played baseball, but when COVID hit, it just shut down baseball. Then I started playing more golf and I fell in love with it.”
That led to team MVP honors at SYHS as a freshman and sophomore, helping the Pirates capture back-to-back CIF Central Section titles in 2023 and 2024, success in several junior tournaments, and a berth in the U.S. Junior Amateur tournament in 2025, and now acceptance into a university that has seen incredible success in many of it sports over the past few decades.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Gordon signed his letter of intent to the University of Oregon to play golf for coach Casey Martin, a former PGA player, at a short signing ceremony in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
“Going to play a college sport, no matter what level, is an unbelievable challenge to meet,” said SYHS Athletic Director Josh McClurg in introducing Gordon. “It’s even bigger when you play for a power 25 school in every sport. It takes a ton of hard work, which I know Von has put into it.”
Before signing his LOI, Gordon paused to thank the people that supported him throughout his journey.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s supported me, and made this possible,” he said. “Thanks to Mom and Dad, love you guys; I want to thank the friends supporting me and always having my back. I appreciate that.”
Gordon was joined at the ceremony, which happened during the school’s lunch hour, by his mother, brother, and a multitude of friends, most of whom were wearing the (usual) Ducks colors of kelly green and gold.
After signing, Gordon described the recruiting process that eventually took him to Oregon.
“It took a while and there were other school that came in and out of the picture,” he said. “But at the end with my offer from Oregon, and connection with the golf coach, it was just green lights all throughout with the coach and the program.”
Gordon will be going to a program which has become a national power in golf under Martin throughout its time in the Pac-12 and now the Big Ten. Martin, a former PGA Tour player now entering his 20th season as Ducks coach, has led the team to 11 NCAA Championship appearances, including winning the 2016 NCAA title and finishing runner-up in the 2017 championships. Among his former players is 2023 U.S. Open Champion Wyndham Clark.
Martin said he is excited to have Gordon begin his Oregon career.
“Von is sort of a late bloomer and shifted to golf a few years ago. He had a terrific summer,” Martin said on the goducks.com website. “I watched him several times and feel like he will have an immediate impact on our program. He has a great golf swing and works so hard. I can’t wait to have him on the team.”
Gordon is just as excited to be going to the campus in Eugene, where he plans to major in business.
“I’m just looking forward to the whole atmosphere,” he said. “The football program and the athletic culture — it’s just really exciting because there’s so much energy and so much effort that goes into it.”
But for now, Gordon can concentrate on his senior year and his boys golf season coming up in the spring.
“It’s really good to have this decision made, and the weight off my shoulders,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to finishing my last year here [at SYHS].”
Among many others to join Gordon at the ceremony was his mother Amy — she said Von’s father Rob, a professional photographer, was on assignment in Lanai — and she expressed gratitude to the community and the role it played in her son’s journey.
“Von is dedicated and self-motivated, but he been helped by so many people,” she said. “I think being at Alisal (Golf Club) and having this special community and having found golf has been such a blessing in his life. I just can’t thank the community enough.”
