Following his surgery last week in Melbourne, Peter has returned to his Sydney home to recover from the keyhole procedure on both his right hip and left knee. While still a little restricted in movement, Peter and his surgeon are both happy with the result to date.

"I am using crutches at present but it is only for support but it feels like it is getting better each day. I have the stitches out in 10 days or so but it will be around 4 weeks or so before I can consider hitting balls again. I have been told that my left hip is such that it too will need work before too long and given the success of this I am now considering having that done in the very near future. I am out of golf for a few months anyway so my thinking is that I might kill two birds with one stone so to speak. I need to speak with my surgeon on this but it is a possibility."

"My surgeon further confirmed after the surgery just how crucial it has been for me to have it done so I am excited about the possibility of getting back to playing whenever it is and to be playing pain free."      

Peter's planned return to the USA to play several of the early season Nationwide Tour events has been put on hold while he undergoes keyhole hip and knee surgery.

After completing an, at times, encouraging week last week at the Moonah Classic south of Melbourne, Peter visited a specialist in Melbourne on Monday morning to get  further advice on what has been a lengthy and painful injury of the lower back and hip area.

The problem had been isolated to the hip by specialists in Sydney but, on the recommendation of the PGA Tour's medical team, Peter met with a specialist on Monday and was advised that he should seriously consider having surgery for both his hip and knee at the same time. Weighing up the options available to him a decision was made for him to go ahead with the procedures this week.

"I figure that I may as well go ahead and get them both done now as the sooner it is done the sooner it will be over and  I can get back playing again", said Peter from Sydney before heading to Melbourne. "Both the Specialist and the Surgeon involved  are highly regarded in dealing with sports injuries and have indicated I will be out of tournament golf for three months but were adamant that if it was not done soon then it was only going to get worse."   

"The knee issue has developed almost as a result of the pain in the hip and has blown up quite a lot over the past few weeks. I actually felt quite good fitness wise at the weekend at Moonah but understand this needs to be done now if I am to extend my playing career."

"The procedure itself will not take long but given that both will be done at once I will be incapacitated for a few weeks and it may be at least two months before I can get back to hitting balls again."

"I am disappointed and it is frustrating but there really is little option."

photo shows Peter playing at Moonah at weekend - photo A Powter

Peter has finished with a round of even par 72 at the Moonah Classic on the Mornington Peninsula and at 1 over for the tournament has finished well behind the contenders. Still, for Peter, it was the chance to test his game and fitness over 72 holes on a tough walking golf course and he came through ok but still not 100%.

Three dropped shots late in his round put paid to what might have been a very good finish to the week for him but he heads back to the US in better shape than when he arrived in Australia two months ago.

While not yet confirmed, Peter's next event is likely to be the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico, a PGA Tour event starting on Feb 18th before he returns to the Nationwide Tour for the Panama Claro Championship in Panama starting on February 25th. 

It might not have been exactly spectacular but, for Peter, making the cut at the Moonah Classic on the Mornington Peninsula signals progress as he continues his return to tournament golf.

After missing the cut last week in Queenstown it was important for Peter to show some benefit for the amount of work he has put in as he returns from the hip injury he has been carrying for much of the past six months.

Peter finished his 36 holes at even par, one inside the cut mark of  1 over, and has the chance over the weekend to put his game to further test.

After an opening round of 71, Peter's second round was a bit of a rollercaster early when he matched birdies with bogeys but even despite a late bogey at the 16th he was able to hold on to make the weekend.