Peter's encouraging return to tournament golf continued today when he finished as the joint winner of the Leonay Pro Am two days after winning the Merewether Pro Am in his first competitve event in eight months and a day after finishing runner-up at the Gosford Pro Am.

While trying to keep things in perspective, Peter is pleasantly surprised at not only how well he has been scoring but also that he is enjoying it so much.

"I'm not sure what the hell is going on," he joked as he headed back to Sydney from the base of the Blue Mountains.

Peter will next play the Gloria Jeans Muirfield Pro Am on October 19th and 20th, then the Beverley Park St George Pro Am on the 21st and the Chatswood Pro Am on the 27th before preparing for his trip to Stage 2 of the PGA Tour School in Florida. 

It was a relieved Peter who returned to tournament golf at the Merewether Pro Am today. Playing in one of his first stand alone pro ams in many years, Peter recorded rounds of 68 and 65 at the two day tournament to win in his first competitive event since the Moonah Classic earlier this year.

Peter underwent knee and hip surgery soon after and has struggled to get golf fit since. 

"I have to say i was nervous," said Peter on his way back to Sydney, referring to the fact that he did not quite know what to expect. "I was really happy with the way I played however although my chipping needs a bit of work. My putting felt ok and I don't think I have lost a lot of length and given that I am not yet tournament sharp it was an encouraging day. I did some things and made some decisions that I might not have  if I had a bit more tournament golf behind me but am happy with the way it went."

"I plan to play tomorrow at Gosford, then the Leonay Golf Club Pro Am on Friday, then the two day event at Beverley Park then a few days off before the Chatswood Pro Am on the 27th and then head to the US on the 30th."

"My Stage Two PGA Tour School venue is in Panama City beginning on November 17th."

A frustrated Peter has resigned himself to the fact that he is unlikely to get any starts in PGA or Nationwide Tour events prior to Stage Two of PGA Tour School so has opted to stay back in Australia for another month before heading to the US where he will tackle Stage Two qualifying in Florida.

"I had thought there may be opportunities to get starts but it is looking increasingly unlikely so will stay here and continue to work on my fitness, maybe play a couple of pro-ams then head over in late October. Qualifying at my venue begins on November 17th in Panama City in the north of Florida so will head over and get myself sorted a few weeks prior to that. 

"I will have full exemption on the Nationwide Tour in 2011 but clearly my goal is to try and earn my way back to the PGA Tour via Tour School. It's all a bit of an unknown quantity at present as I really have not played a lot golf as such over the past eight months or so.

"The upside of all this (if there is an upside) is that I have been able to watch a lot of football this season and although the Doggies (Canterbury Bulldogs) are now well and truly out of the comp I have been going to a lot of games and really enjoying that. 

"I am keen now however to get back to playing tournaments and hopefully when I do the game and the health holds up ok.I have actually been working with a couple of the fitness guys at the Bulldogs of late and hey have been assisting me with routines to keep me in shape and to assist the healing after the surgery earlier this year."

Peter is targeting a few Nationwide and possible PGA Tour events in October and November for his possible return to tournament golf. His ongoing recovery from his surgery earlier in the year is progressing well but he is determined to ensure that he is physically 100% before he returns.

Although Peter will have full exemption on the Nationwide Tour in 2011 he will attempt to regain his PGA Tour card via the Tour School beginning with Stage two in mid November followed, hopefully, by the Final Stage in early December.

"It has been very frustrating waiting for everything to come right physically but I have waited this long so might as well wait the extra month or two before I head back," said Peter this week."I am playing on a fairly regular basis and the game feels good but as to how things go when i do get back will only be established when it is put to the ultimate test of tournament golf."