Rich Beem will be flying the flag for the United States in this week’s Joburg Open as the 2002 PGA champion makes a surprise appearance on the European Tour.

The 41-year-old has decided to throw in his lot with the European Tour this year, more out of necessity than anything else.

He underwent back surgery in 2010 and, although a medical exemption covered most of that year, he failed to keep his US PGA Tour card in 2011, the year his exemption for winning the 2002 major at Hazeltine ran out.

Fortunately, the European Tour’s 10-year exemption for winning a major starts the year following the triumph, so Beem is exempt for 2012 and will be taking full advantage. By the end of the year, he will have covered Africa, Asia and most of Europe.

“I’m here because my European Tour exemption runs through this year for winning the 2002 PGA. In 2010, I had back surgery and was out for most of the year and needed a medical exemption.

“In 2011, I played 20 events, but didn’t qualify automatically for my card and then made the finals at Q-School, but couldn’t finish the job. So the European card is the best thing for me.

“I imagine I’ll play May, June and July in continental Europe and play the minimum number of tournaments to qualify for my card. The European Tour is so different to the US, I’m finding it hard to get organised, I’m trying to figure out the travel, connect the dots.

“You can’t even compare it to the US, where you just hop in your courtesy cars and everyone goes in 50 different directions. On this tour, everyone stays together, stays in the same hotels, eats meals together.

“But I’m looking forward to it and I’m not afraid of travelling – I spent three-and-a-half years in both Panama and Berlin, Germany, in my younger years,” the genial Beem said at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Course on Wednesday.

And the Texan with the broad smile has thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of South Africa.

WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE

“You have to turn it into an adventure and have some fun. I’ve already had an extraordinary time here and met some extraordinary people. It’s been one of my best experiences.

“We arrived last Thursday evening and on Saturday we were able to have a private tour of the Apartheid Museum in Soweto and we spent two-and-a-half hours there, we could have spent all day. It was incredible what we were able to see and then we did the tour of Soweto and ate at the Beverley Hills!

“We saw the church and park where the 1976 riots happened and we got the Full Monty basically,” the married father of two said.

Apart from majors and World Golf Championship (WGC) tournaments, Beem is playing in just his fourth European Tour event and is confident he can do well in Johannesburg.

“It takes a lot of luck to win, but I certainly have the game to compete and I expect to play well. My body doesn’t like the travelling as much as it used to, but I want to play golf, which is why I came here because I knew I would play. I had the opportunity to try and qualify in Hawaii for the Sony Open, but that’s a rat-race for four spots,” Beem said.

The former mobile phone and car stereo salesman said the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington is playing particularly tough.

“The East Course definitely has some teeth, it’s a bear. The ball is not rolling anywhere and it’s catching mud. The West Course is certainly a lot easier,” Beem said.

This may be a make-or-break year for Beem, who hasn’t won since holding off Tiger Woods to win the 2002 PGA Championship.

“I haven’t really thought that negatively! In some ways it may be make-or-break, but I haven’t made any other plans!”