John Peterson: From US Open Underdog to Representing Team USA in Bridges Cup
Former LSU standout and 2012 U.S. Open runner-up John Peterson is returning to elite competitive golf, joining the American side at the Bridges Cup at Trump Turnberry in Scotland. Now a Texas business owner playing roughly 20 rounds a year, Peterson prepares to represent the United States in team match play after a career defined by grinding through Monday qualifiers and mini-tours.
From the 72nd Hole at Olympic Club to a Fort Worth Garage Business
Long before trading his professional status for a quiet life managing Westoplex Garage in Fort Worth, Texas, John Peterson carved out a reputation as one of golf’s ultimate grinders. Winning the 2011 NCAA individual title at LSU didn’t instantly open doors to the PGA Tour. Instead, Peterson faced failed Q School attempts, empty pockets, and grueling Monday qualifiers before breaking through as a local and sectional qualifier at the 2012 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club.
Standing over a birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would have tied the clubhouse lead, Peterson ultimately lagged it to a foot, securing a tie for fourth place and earning an invitation to the following year’s Masters. He went on to make 91 starts on the PGA Tour over a handful of seasons, playing what he described to GOLF.com from his truck while picking up farm supplies as a career of doing “more with less than most.” After retiring twice from professional golf, he settled into family life with four children, letting his game lapse into a casual hobby where he logs about 20 rounds a year.
Sharpening the Amateur Game for the Bridges Cup
Despite stepping away from the professional ranks and regaining his amateur status, Peterson maintained an itch for high-level competition. Over the summer months, he tested his game at the Jones Cup, the Sunnehanna Amateur, and the Southern Amateur. His visibility also spiked earlier in the year when he appeared as a wildcard on Your Golf Tour, a YouTube circuit co-founded by George and Wesley Bryan that generated millions of views.
“I’d spent nine years playing pro golf, some of it at the highest level in the world, and never been recognized in an airport,” Peterson told GOLF.com. “The week after that thing came out, I got stopped three times in the Atlanta airport.”
That digital spotlight proved fleeting, but it reignited his appreciation for golf’s shared experiences. Most notably, representing his country in a team format had eluded him. Despite winning the 2011 individual NCAA title, he was left off that year’s U.S. Walker Cup team, leaving a lingering “what if?” regarding the red, white, and blue.
Representing the United States at Trump Turnberry
Next week, that missing milestone is resolved when Peterson tees it up at Trump Turnberry in Scotland for the annual Bridges Cup. The elite mid-amateur, Ryder Cup-style competition pits an American side against players from the rest of the world, offering Peterson his first opportunity to wear an official U.S. team uniform.
“It’s not the same, but I still get to wear the red, white, and blue, which is going to be awesome,” Peterson noted to GOLF.com. While his days of chasing PGA Tour status and grinding through mini-tours are firmly in the rearview mirror, managing a Texas garage and raising a family has given the former underdog a fresh perspective on a game that once demanded his entire livelihood.
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