North Carolina State University Athletics
The Acclimated Englishman
10/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Oct. 1, 2004
NC State men's golfer Stephen Lewton made a slight change in his swing last year that took some getting used to. That adjustment was small in comparison to those he's made since moving to Raleigh from his home in England. One of the top players on the team the last two years, Lewton looks forward to his junior season with the Wolfpack and is settling in to his American lifestyle.
"I miss family and friends, but I really like it here," Lewton said. "I like the food here. The steak here is fantastic. You can't beat it. I miss some of the social-life things there, but I do like how things seem to be cheaper here. It was a little different driving here at first, between the steering wheel being on the left and driving on the right. It didn't take too long to get used to, though. Although I still walk up to the wrong side of the car to get in all the time."
Making an immediate impact on the golf team upon his arrival, Lewton was the No. 2 golfer in the Pack's lineup going into his sophomore season last year. Making a slight change to his swing, Lewton suffered through a small slump. Slipping to fifth in the lineup, Lewton continued to make the travel squad in every tournament but one. Just as NC State began postseason play, Lewton pulled out of his funk. After tying for ninth place in the ACC Championship, Lewton tied for 31st at the NCAA East Regional. Returning home for the summer, he won his local qualifier for the British Open to advance to a final qualfier.
"I went up to Scotland for the final qualifying and played with Costantino Rocca, who is a very well-known European who played in the Ryder Cup," Lewton said. "He was the best player at our final qualifier, so everyone came out to watch our group. We had about 300 people watching. That was a great experience. He didn't beat me either. We tied, which I was happy about."
Playing a variety of sports growing up in England, Lewton was attracted to golf at a young age.
"I played soccer, rugby, field hockey, and I used to do a lot of running in my heyday," Lewton said. "I started playing golf when I was three years old, but I got serious about it when I broke my kneecap playing rugby. That's when I stopped playing contact sports."
Competing for England in a junior tournament in Miami, Lewton caught the attention of NC State golf coach Richard Sykes. One year later, Lewton signed with the Wolfpack.
"I had always planned on just going to one of the universities in England," Lewton said. "But when I had the chance to go to an American university I jumped at it."
Enjoying his opportunity to study at NC State, Lewton has also fully enjoyed his experience playing golf for the Wolfpack.
"It's great because we get to go all over the country," Lewton continued. "Coach Sykes is always funny. There is always something that happens on the trip that is kind of memorable. I remember when we were playing in the NCAA regionals my freshman year, he hit a curb in the van when we were leaving the course the first day and we had played well. The next two days he made sure he caught the curb pretty good. The van nearly took off, but that was really funny. He's got all his little sayings that are great too."
Those little sayings that Sykes constantly dishes out in his gruff Southern accent are hard enough for some Americans to understand, let alone an Englishman.
"I've got it down now," Lewton boasted. "Justin Walters, who was a senior when I got here, kind of translated for me, showing me how to understand him."
There seems to be a lot of translating of different dialects on NC State's golf team, as Lewton hails from England, Andrew Langdale comes from Australia, and Garry Hill calls South Africa home. The three of them all live with teammate Jace Strandberg, a North Carolina native.
"Each of us has our flag outside of our rooms," Lewton said about the interior decorations of the golfers' apartment. "Maybe Jace feels a little left out, since he's the only American in the apartment, but we get along really well. There is a lot of banter going on in our apartment. We're always arguing about who's country is better at what. It's never ending."
Most of the guys on the team have nicknames and Lewton is no different.
"They call me Mushy," Lewton admitted. "Instead of saying 'bud' over here, I say 'mushy.' It's like saying 'you're all right mate.' Instead of saying 'you're all right mate,' I say 'you're all right mushy.' So they call me Mushy."
Lewton's father came to visit last spring to watch his son play in the ACC Championship and plans to make that trip again this spring, but this winter two of Lewton's mushies from back home will be making the trip.
"I'll show them around Raleigh," Lewton said. "We'll play some golf and I'll take them to a basketball game. We don't get much basketball in England."
Another American sport that Lewton has embraced in his time at NC State is Wolfpack football.
"I like football," Lewton stated. "I love going to football games. The first one I went to I remember thinking 'oh my god, this is so slow.' I thought 'this is not like rugby one bit.' The second game I went to I finally picked up the rules and it was so much better."
Looking to the future, Lewton has his sights on joining the PGA Tour along with former NC State golfers Tim Clark and Carl Pettersson.
"I've played with Carl a couple times," Lewton said. "I'm always looking on the internet each week to see how they're playing. It's good to have two really good people on the tour from your school. It makes you believe that anyone who plays here can make a good professional. I want to graduate and then turn pro straight away. I'll try to qualify for the European Tour like Carl and Tim did."
There is no telling where the road leads ahead of Lewton, but as long as he gets behind the wheel, he can certainly go where he desires.
