The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1364233
MAY/JUNE 2021 ■ 41 BY JUSTIN H. WILLIAMS ifteen hours would be a conser- vative estimate of how long it takes to travel from Innsbruck, Austria, to Raleigh, N.C. A 163-kilometer, two-hour drive through the Bavarian Alps would get one to Munich, Germany, where they could then board a 12-hour, 40-minute flight from Munich International Airport to RDU. With no interruptions and a little bit of luck, a 20-minute southbound drive down I-40 would get the traveler to Lonnie Poole Golf Course in exactly 15 hours. Sophomore men's golfer Maximilian Steinlechner only had to do the trip once before he realized he was ready to commit to NC State. "I talked to several programs, but in the end I decided NC State was the place for me to be," Steinlechner recalled. "I ended up visiting in the fall of 2018, and it was the only school I visited. I really liked it and after that it was clear to me that I should be a part of the Wolfpack." But it took time for the Austrian to settle in to his new home in Raleigh, just like would be expected after the long commute from his hometown of Innsbruck. The top-ranked amateur in Austria climbed as high as No. 17 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings prior to his arrival at NC State, where he immediately became one of the most decorated signees in pro- gram history. Adjusting to a new culture and learning how to become self-sufficient as a freshman in college halfway around the globe from home is a tough task, but those were just a couple factors that made it initially dif- ficult for Steinlechner to get comfortable in Raleigh. Another obstacle for the European golf phenom in the United States: learning how to read Bermuda greens. "Part of his adjustment phase was getting used to America, getting used to a new cul- ture and getting used to putting on Bermuda grass, which is a lot different than what he Steinlechner ended the regular season with a team-best five top-five finishes, and they came in consecutive tournaments, led by a pair of runner-up showings. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS F GETTING COMFORTABLE Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner Has Settled In To Claim Five Top-Five Finishes In 2021