The first of those events, the Barton Creek Classic, takes place this week at Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Tex. Peters spoke with About.com about his life since entering the spotlight and his preparations for this week's tournament.
The last time most golf fans saw you was on "The Big Break" finale. Catch us up on what you're been doing.
Up until three weeks ago I was still caddying fulltime, 6-7 days a week, at Adios Golf
Club (in Deerfield Beach, Fla.). It's been crazy. I've been getting recognized at gas
stations, Wendy's ... it's just been pretty crazy in that sense. Yet I'm still working
as a caddie 6-7 days a week.
When you're caddying that much, do you have much time to work on your game?
No, no time. I just had no time to touch a club, to work on my game at all. I'd get to
the golf course at 7 in the morning. A lot of times I had to sit around and wait to get
a loop, then you're out there carrying two golf bags. Even if you're done by 3, 4
o'clock, physically you're just ... if you go hit balls, it's not going
to do you much good anyway. But a lot of times I wouldn't get done (caddying) until 4
or 5 o'clock and the day's already done. There's no time to practice.
So what's the state of your game right now?
It's been interesting because I went to the PGA Merchandise Show a couple weeks ago. I
called up a company and got to work for them (at the Show) and made some money there,
which allowed me to cover my expenses for the past few weeks. So I haven't caddied
since that. So I've actually gotten to practice the last 2-3 weeks.
The game has been getting pretty good. But I hit a little bump in the road last week when I pulled a muscle somewhere around my left hip area. I played a tournament last week in Orlando, a Hooters Tour Winners Series event. During the first round of the tournament, every swing was just a sharp pain right at impact. I was actually going to withdraw, but then wound up still playing, and I shot 69 in the first round with no bogies, 3-under. Then the next day I shot 75 and missed the cut by one shot.
The game has slowly been getting better. It's not anywhere close to where I want it to be. I played today and my side still hurts, so my swing ... I just can't swing the way I want to. I'm swinging protective.
How does that affect your expectations for this tournament?
It definitely changes them. Up until last week, I felt like I was getting some good
work in and I had shot a 64 at my home course, eight birdies, no bogeys, a couple weeks
ago. So I started posting some numbers, started posting some good scores, started
feeling good, and then (the injury happened) ... (laughing) It's always something, you know?
All of sudden I get this little injury, and it's really frustrating. I really wanted to be 100-percent healthy for this, and ready. It definitely changes the expectations.
I was obviously going in with my own expectations of how I wanted to do. But I'm really just trying to embrace the situation. Because this is going to be a whole new experience for me with this aura and excitement around this event. The cameras ... they're going to put a heart rate monitor and a microphone on me for play. I know I'm going to be under a microscope and it's never been like that before.
Does all that attention make it more nerve-wracking for you?
Absolutely. But the way I look at it is, I want to play at the highest level, I want to
be on the PGA Tour. And those guys have to play under microscopes every day, every
week. And that's where I want to be - I want to feel that every week. So this is going
to be kind of like another stepping stone towards that experience. We'll see how I
can handle it.
I think I'll learn a lot about myself this week. I know it's going to be a big week for me, and I just want to enjoy it as much as possible. Because a lot of people would kill to have to the opportunity I have right now, to be able to play under these kinds of circumstances.
I'm just trying to take baby steps and not think too far ahead. I still don't have the financial backing I need to play full-time, but I'm trying not to dwell on that anymore, but just take one day at a time and let the chips fall where they may. Hopefully, some opportunities will arise in the future.
Next Page: The Rest of 2004, Seeking Sponsors, and Keeping in Touch with "Big Break" Comrades
