Golf:Former American amateur champion Peter Uihlein is turning professional and has decided to launch his new career on the European Tour under the same management as Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.
The 22-year-old, winner of six of his eight games in the last two Walker Cups, will make his debut at next month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, managing director of International Sports Management (ISM), said: “It is a pioneering move by him the obvious step would have been to try to establish his career in the United States. 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.”
Uihlein, who had five spells as the world’s number one amateur between May last year and this June, made the halfway cut in The British Open at Sandwich, but lost out to England’s Tom Lewis in the battle for the leading amateur silver medal.
“The PGA European Tour plays all over the world from the United Kingdom to China, from Korea to South Africa and from the Middle East to Southeast Asia,” he said.
“Those players who have played on the Tour, and who are still members, make for a pretty impressive list. I just feel the ISM team is well-positioned to help me achieve my goals.”
World number two and US Open champion Rory McIlroy was part of the same stable until leaving in October to link up with Ryder Cup partner Graeme McDowell at Dublin-based Horizon.
