It was a sight Peter Uihlein won't forget in a hurry.

Gaping jaws, bulging eyes and jagged teeth primed for the kill? No, it wasn't a seething Monty having just been asked for some post-round musings after dribbling a tiddler by the hole to miss the cut. It was something marginally more blood curdling.

"That was the coolest thing," said Uihlein, as the American golfer recalled a cage dive in the company of a Great White Shark during some down time at a European Tour event in South Africa earlier in the year. "We were in Mossel Bay and I was told it was a good cage dive, so we did it. We were out there for five hours. They churn up the water, and there were six or seven of them. It was incredible."

While plunging into an ocean inhabited by thrashing, man-eating fish may not be everyone's cup of tea, Uihlein is no stranger to diving headlong into treacherous waters. His professional career, after all, has been something of a voyage into the unknown.

Instead of opting for the home comforts as a wet-behind-the-ears rookie in his native land, Uihlein, the former world amateur No.1, decided to up sticks and ply his trade on the European Challenge Tour. Who said Americans don't travel? Since joining the paid ranks at the end of 2011, the 23-year-old's passport has been stamped with trips to such far-flung places as India, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Korea, and, er, Aviemore. The globetrotting, the loneliness and the struggles of a young man miles away from home have been worth it. A fortnight ago, the former US Amateur champion claimed his maiden victory in the dual-ranking Madeira Islands Open, a success which earned him an exemption for the main circuit until the end of the 2014 season.

Having signed up with Chubby Chandler's ISM management group, big things were expected of Uihlein but an indifferent start to life as a touring professional during the 2012 campaign eroded the confidence and, having retired from that season's Hassan Trophy following an opening 83, he didn't compete again for over two months

"A year ago I wasn't even thinking about playing, I was just really struggling," said Uihlein, who was unbeaten in his four matches during the USA's victory over GB&I in the 2009 Walker Cup at Merion and was also part of the losing American side at Royal Aberdeen two years ago. "It's a funny game. But I've learned a lot over the last year. When you're struggling, it's one of those things, you hate it when it happens but it's almost the best thing that could happen to you. It definitely was for me and I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. You grow up quickly out here and that was the main reason I came over."

While the prospect of chasing the American dream has always led to European players crossing the Atlantic in their droves, the migration of young US golfers the other way is something of a rare occurrence in their formative years. Uihlein would not have had it any other way, though, and the Oklahoma State University graduate believes the particular golfing route he decided to follow will become an increasingly well-trodden path.

His countryman and flat-mate, Brooks Koepka, currently leads the Challenge Tour rankings following a victory in the Montecchia Open earlier this month while another American, Daniel Im, has also established himself in the upper reaches of the second tier circuit's order of merit.

"There are so many different variables every week and it helps you grow up as a player and a person," added Uilhein, who shared 12th place in last week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. "It's all about becoming a more well-rounded player and not a one-dimensional player. If you're OK with being a little lonely out there, it's definitely the route. It's a different route for an American, but I think you'll see it more and more."