Peter retains the hope of playing within the next month or so but may need some cortisone shots if he is to do so. A lingering back pain is of some concern but he is keen to get back to playing and there may well be opportunities in PGA Tour events in July.

"The hip and knee surgery have been successful and hopefully the back will improve with some help from cortisone injections," said Peter today. "I had a few days in Hawaii but am getting back to hitting balls and playing again."

"There are one or two PGA Tour events in July in which I could possibly get a start and am targeting a return then but will see how things go with the back before finally deciding. It has been frustrating but want to make sure things are fully ok before I commit to a return to the US."  

Peter is making slow progress in his endeavour to get himself back to tournament fitness and a return to the Nationwide Tour in July or August following his hip and knee surgery earlier this year. 

"I am working hard on fitness and recovery issues but it is a slow process," said Peter from his home in Sydney today. "I am walking each day, doing pilates and other excercises, riding a bike and hitting balls but am still struggling a little with playing a lot of holes and do not want to push it. I have had a cortizone injection recently which appears to have helped but I am still well short of where I need to be to be playing competitvely again."

"I have late July or August as my target for a return to the US for events on the Nationwide Tour and feel that I am on track for that. It is getting better each day I feel and certainly I am happy enough with the way I am hitting the ball in practice but it is really just a mattter of time and not pushing it too far."    

A visit to his surgeon in Melbourne this week has confirmed that Peter will not undergo a second hip operation in the immediate future and will instead continue his recovery on the first hip surgery with a view to be back playing in July.

"Thing are progressing well and there is no real issue in hitting balls but when I walk for longish periods on the leg it is not yet right," said Peter en route to watch his NRL team (The Bulldogs) play in Wollongong last night. "The surgeon who performed the operation has advised me to delay the second operation and ease my way back into things and so I will make sure it is totally right before I head back to the US. The way things are looking I am now anticipating that will be in July."   

Peter is a happy and relieved man today as he returned to hitting balls at slightly more than half pace for the first time since his keyhole surgery for knee and hip injuries three weeks ago.

"It feels great," said Peter from the Lakes Golf Club today where he was hitting a few short irons. "I have been chipping and putting for a while and there has been little concern but it was good to know that I could go to a slightly higher level and for there to be no issues. I am some way from being able to hit flat out and I do not want to rush it but it has been nice to get back on the range and hit a few shots that's for sure."

 Peter will see his surgeon in Melbourne in ten days or so and given the success of this surgery he will seek his advice as to whether his other hip can be done soon. If not he hopes to be back playing competitively within a couple of months but if the surgeon believes it is advisable then he would like to get the other hip out of the way, such has been the success of the operation on the first.

Ideally Peter would like to be ready to play at the Heritage Classic where he gets a start as a previous winner but much will be dependant on the advice of his surgeon.