John Peterson held dozens of scholarship offers in his hands as a high school senior. Widely recognized as the top prospect in Texas, he knew his college decision had the potential to help a program step up to the next level.
“I wanted to play on a team that wasn’t as highly ranked as the other schools recruiting me,” Peterson said. “I didn’t want to be just another fish in the pond.”
As a former resident of Baton Rouge with both family and personal ties to LSU and its men’s golf program, Peterson’s choice to become a Tiger now seems a “no-brainer” and his impact has been undeniable.
For a team with only one senior, the LSU men’s golf team has looked past experience and to performance for leadership, and Peterson has led the way for the Tigers all season during their most successful campaign in over a decade. LSU brought home three tournament titles this season, the most since 2003-04 when it also won three titles.
After a successful freshman campaign that earned him a spot on the 2008 SEC All-Freshman team, Peterson has shown marked improvement in his second season. He’s lowered his scoring average by nearly two strokes per round (74.1 to 72.3) and eliminated “three to four” putts per round, as well.
His improved statistics have shown results on the course this season. Peterson secured the first individual title of his career in February at the John Hayt Invitational and also finished in the top 10 in six of 11 tournaments this season. His accomplishments as a sophomore earned him First-Team All-SEC honors, the first time a Tiger has been named to the team since John Humphries in 2003.
Although LSU finished just one spot shy of qualifying for the NCAA Championships, Peterson continued to perform well at the NCAA South Central Regional in Stillwater, Okla., last week, finishing third in the field at 5-over par.
“I just felt a lot more comfortable this year,” Peterson said. “Every round I play it feels like I’m playing at home; almost like a practice round. I’ve also become a much better putter. That’s the biggest thing.”
Peterson’s performance at the NCAA Regional nearly qualified him for the NCAA Championships and gave him his fourth-straight top-three finish to end the season. In fact, Peterson played so well at the end of the season that his chances of being named an All-American became much more of a reality.
Through his first two years as a Tiger, Peterson has made his mark and is certainly not just another “fish in the pond.” His goal of leading LSU back to the top of the collegiate golfing landscape is on its way to being met and he has proved that, individually, he can compete with the best in the country.
It wasn’t much of a surprise for Peterson to choose LSU in the end. After all, their stories have been intertwined for a long time. His mother is an alumnae of LSU, and Peterson spent his childhood in Baton Rouge trained as a young golfer by current LSU head coach Chuck Winstead.
“It was really an easy transition. I just like it here. I’ve got family here. It’s just a fun place,” Peterson said.
After the end of a fantastic sophomore season, Peterson’s goals are clear for both himself and his team. He says terms like “competing for a national title” with confidence and feels like his goal of returning LSU to national prominence is still a realistic one. It goes without saying that if he continues to improve at the rate he has so far; anything really is possible for Peterson and the Tigers.