Freshman Peer Wernicke is over five and a half thousand miles away from his hometown of Leverkusen, Germany, but he is settling into the newest chapter of his life as a college golfer with the help of his teammates and a clear mindset.
"We're always having fun when we play," Wernicke said. "It makes the whole process, which can be very exhausting and not easy, very fun."
Things are also pretty exciting for Wernicke because of the fall season he had on the golf course, placing just outside of the top ten in three out of four tournaments. Wernicke finished 13th in The Sahalee Players Championship, 11th in the Fighting Illini Invitational, 11th in the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational and 24th in The Williams Cup.
This impressive performance resulted in Wernicke being ranked 49th in the nation, which is also the fourth-highest ranking of any freshman.
"(Wernicke) didn't have a bad ball-striking week or even a bad day," head coach Matt Thurmond said. "He just was super consistent. He's very unemotional in that he's steady, and nothing really rattles him."
That steadiness is a product that Wernicke attributes to controlling the controllables, something the coaching staff has taught him. Wernicke said that controlling what he can control means that he is prepared and can go into tournaments feeling confident that he did his homework.
"You don't want your mind and your thoughts to distract you," Wernicke said. "You want them to guide you and help you."
Along with his strong mentality, Wernicke is also getting help from his teammates. Living outside of his home country has its challenges, but the support and chemistry with his teammates have made the transition smoother.
Whether it may be pickleball games, football while on the road or team barbecues at senior Josele Ballester, senior Preston Summerhays and sophomore Connor Williamsβ house, Wernicke has had plenty of opportunities to build chemistry with his teammates.
"I'm very surprised and amazed by the way he engaged with us and how he's always trying to get better by asking questions to the older guys," Ballester said.
The things Wernicke asks his older teammates aren't limited to just golf. The roster has three other international golfers, Ballester, sophomore Fifa Laopakdee and junior Michael Mjaaseth. Wernicke asks them questions about things that a typical college freshman may not even consider like what phone service he should get and which bank he should use.
"I just ask them for advice about things I need to organize and figure out myself because they figured out that stuff out a few years ago," Wernicke said. "It's quite nice to have them around and show me a little bit and give me some advice."
Because of the way he has integrated with the team and how he has learned from his teammates, Wernicke has developed a strong bond with the group, which has been noticed by his coaches.
"It's not easy to do, to come into a competitive environment as a freshman, especially coming from another part of the world, and immediately earn the respect and admiration from everybody on the team," Thurmond said.
The Sun Devils are officially done for the fall and will not play again until the beginning of February. Wernicke will continue to practice and work out with his teammates, while also further developing his relationships with his teammates. Once the semester is over, Wernicke will return to Leverkusen, Germany for winter break and his family and friends will be able to see the strides he has taken and the growth he's experienced as a person.
"I've realized that I'm able to adapt pretty quickly to new things and new conditions and that's something I'm proud of and I'm happy that I got to do these things pretty well," Wernicke said.
Edited by Henry Smardo, Sophia Braccio and Madeline Schmitke.
Reach the reporter at jmjanes1@asu.edu and follow @JackJanes_ on X.
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