As one of the only players in this week's US Open field that has played Erin Hills in competition before, we thought it worth our while to have Peter Uihleinwrite this week's Player Blog. Ahead of this year's second Major, the 27 year old writes about Boston, baseball, huskies, superheroes, world travels and more…
It’s always nice to play the biggest events, especially your country’s national Open.
These are definitely ones you want to play in and of course ones you want to win. It’s always a different sort of feel for a US Open when they come to places like Erin Hills this week and Chambers Bay a couple of years ago and it definitely has more of a linksy sort of feel in the setup with the wispy rough. It’s different to what you’ve grown up watching but it’s equally as challenging. One thing that’s for sure is that the USGA will always make it as tough as possible!
I played here in the 2011 US Amateur and the rough has gotten longer since then!
I remember it being really firm and fast that year and although it’s not quite that level yet, it is still early in the week so who knows what it might get like yet? But I’m maybe at a bit of an advantage over the guys who are coming into the week blind because it’s a place you need to do a little homework for. Take the 11th or 12th, you stand on the tee looking at your book and you don’t get any pictures! You have no idea where you are hitting it. You’re looking at a mound, nothing basically. But I already know where I have to hit it so that certainly helps. A lot of your shots around here you have to have to just find things to aim at, whether stands, or flags, or anything, because a fair amount of the time you can’t see where you’re going.
I love playing on the European Tour and it’s only getting better.
I think Keith Pelley is doing a great job with things like the Rolex Series, trying to get more events with bigger purses and enticing the best players to come and compete and that can only help the Tour go from strength to strength. On a personal level, too, it’s been massively beneficial for me playing on the European Tour and experiencing other cultures and countries and conditions. You play different courses all over the world, different turf and while we have fescue rough this week, that’s pretty rare to see in America whereas it’s a common site in Europe at places like the Dunhill Links and more. The whole experience helps make you a more complete player and I’ve really enjoyed my time on the European Tour.
Three weeks ago I witnessed first-hand the most impressive round I’ve ever seen.
I had the pleasure of playing the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth with Alex Noren, who obviously shot 62 to win from way back. He got off to a quick start, made some good par saves to keep the momentum up and then really turned on the burners towards the end. He was so efficient and so effective. I’ve played with a lot of top boys all around the world but that was something else.
I have a really special relationship with my dogs. We’ve got two huskies.
I actually got my older one Bagger when I was really struggling with my game so having him was a real pick-me-up at that time. Then my girlfriend and I got our little one Breya, who was the runt of the litter and nobody really wanted her, so we picked her up and she’s been awesome, such a great personality and seeing the dynamic between the two is fun and entertaining. They’re actually coming this week. I haven’t seen them much lately because I played Wentworth then the last two weeks in the States so my parents are bringing them up and we are all staying in a house so I can’t wait.
Family is a big part of my life.
I think it’s really important to be able to get away from golf when you’re off the course. My girlfriend has been travelling with me for a little while now so it’s been nice to be able to go back, not think about your round and just hang out and have a good time. And then the pups will be getting in soon and we’ll have the whole family back together this week. Even when you’re at home practising, the last thing you want to do when you come back is think about golf so to be able to come back to my girlfriend, the dogs, it’s been the best thing I’ve ever had.
Growing up I actually wanted to play baseball not golf.
I’ve always loved baseball and wanted to be a part of it from a young age but I can remember the moment of awakening if you can call it that. I was playing Little League, around 12 years old, and I had a really good hitting game but we lost. Obviously you are disappointed but at the same time I was thinking “I did everything I could” so that was what made me think about going away from the team side of things to focus on something more individual. Golf took over from there. I started off only really playing in the summer because it was so cold in Massachusetts in the winter so when I got to around 13 I asked my dad if I could move to Florida to play golf all year round. I had assumed I was pretty good, having won a bit in the local area, but whenever I did anything internationally I got my head beat in. I remember being paired with Rory McIlroy and Oli Fisher in my first year down in Florida and they were miles better than I was and that’s when I knew I had made the right decision moving down there; I needed all the time possible to practice if I was ever going to get near their level.
My other big passion is following Boston sports.
You have to have interests outside of golf. I love my Red Sox, I love my Patriots, Tom Brady and I’m a Celtics fan too. I actually waited for them to get bad again so it didn’t seem like I was jumping on the bandwagon! Four years ago a guy I went to college with, Marcus Smart, got drafted by the Celtics so that made me start rooting for them again. When I’m home and not travelling overseas, and depending on what season it is, I’ll be either watching baseball every night, or basketball every night, it’s all good stuff.
I grew up reading comics so I love all the Marvel films now too.
I saw the Black Panther trailer the other day and that looks awesome, I can’t wait for that. Thor 3 is coming out too so plenty to look forward to.
