TOP US AMATEUR UIHLEIN TURNS PRO TO PLAY IN EUROPE

Peter Uihlein, the 2010 U.S. Amateur champion Walker Cup team player in the match at Royal Aberdeen last September, has decided to turn pro and signed with Chubby Chandler’s International Sports Management, the British agency announced today.

Uihlein, who will officially turn professional on January 1, will make his pro debut at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and play on the European Tour and Challenge Tour next year.

"I had a great 3 1/2 years at Oklahoma State. The school and the program were great for me, and I believe I contributed to the program’s tradition. (But) I wanted to have the full calendar year to start the next chapter in my life and not start midseason. The coaches at Oklahoma State understood my decision,” Uihlein said in a statement.

The decision to turn pro represents a change of heart for the son of the Acushnet CEO. The Oklahoma State standout tried unsuccessfully to get through both the US PGA and European Tour Q-School as an amateur. Uihlein had said he would return to school for his senior year, regardless of the outcome in either tournament.

"It is a pioneering move by him – the obvious step would have been to try to establish his career in the United States," Chandler said in a release.

"But having seen players like Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and Darren Clarke build careers by playing all over the world, including America, Peter has been encouraged by that. I'm sure that he will benefit enormously from the experience."

Seven guaranteed invites will give Uihlein a head start

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE

By Alistair Tait

Peter Uihlein will have no trouble getting the seven invites he needs to try to get his European Tour card next year, Uihlein’s agent Andrew “Chubby” Chandler admitted to Golfweek.

The only date in Uihlein’s diary so far is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January, when he will make his professional debut. However, Chandler said Uihlein will get seven starts by the spring.

“He’s guaranteed to play seven European tournaments by April,” Chandler said. “I’m confident of that.”

The two-time Walker Cup player (2009 and 2011) is allowed seven sponsor invites on the main European Tour. If in those seven invites he equals or betters the money earned by the 115th and last player to get a tour card this year, then he can play an indefinite schedule. Ireland’s Damien McGrane earned €258,939 for finishing 115th this season, so Uihlein will be aiming to make over €260,000 in seven starts.

“He’s got to pick it up and hit the ground running,” Chandler added. “You have to when you’ve only got seven starts. He’s a good enough player but he’s happy to play the Challenge Tour if he doesn’t get his card through the seven. It should be easier for him on the Challenge Tour.”

Uihlein is also allowed seven invites on the Challenge Tour, but doesn’t have to earn as much money to keep playing that circuit. Uihlein needs to earn the equivalent of 80th place on this year’s Challenge Tour money list to play more than seven tournaments on Europe’s junior circuit. 
Switzerland’s Andre Bossert placed 80th on this year’s Challenge Tour money list with €19,963. So Uihlein will be looking to earn around €20,000 from his seven invites to play a full season on the Challenge Tour. The top 20 on the Challenge Tour receive cards for the 2013 European Tour.

Chandler first talked about signing Uihlein a year ago when he had a conversation with Peter’s father Wally, the chief executive officer of Acushnet. However, it was only in the last month that Uihlein committed to ISM.

“Peter and Wally agreed that it would be better for him to play in Europe to start his career, and since we have very good contacts around the world, then it was a good fit for Peter and us,” Chandler said

“We’ve obviously known about Peter for a long time and he’s a great player. I think he wanted to play in Europe because he’s seen how the game is going global. I spoke to Wally about a year ago and I think he and Peter wanted to start in Europe because it would be better for his game.

“I think it’s good that Peter has decided to get out of his comfort zone and come to Europe and play different courses and go to different countries. I believe players become more adaptable by traveling. By playing the European Tour it should prepare Peter for life on the PGA Tour when he decides to go for his PGA Tour card.”

Uihlein is the second American male golfer to join the ISM stable recently. Former Arizona State player Scott Pinckney joined ISM this summer and got his card at European Tour Q-School last week. Christina Kim is also an ISM client.

Stanford alum Dodge Kemmer is a client as well, with Kemmer being the first American to win on the EuroPro Tour.

“We have a bigger profile in the United States right now because of what our players have been doing. We’ve opened an office over there and will be signing more," said Chandler.