Eddie Pepperell overcame a “frustrating and bewildering” run of results to make a fast start at the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid as he battles to retain his DP World Tour card.
After two top tens in a three-week stretch following the summer break, the two-time DP World Tour winner arrived in the Spanish capital on the back of two missed cuts in his last three starts.
That left Pepperell lying 109th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, with the top 116 in the season-long standings following the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters later this month set to retain their playing privileges.
But the Englishman made a flying start at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, making an eagle, five birdies and a solitary bogey on the opening day to leave him in good spirits.
The fact that I can go out there and at least focus on my game, shoot six under [suggests] there’s definitely a few good rounds in me I think before the year is out.
"I have missed the last few cuts, albeit by quite close margins," he told the DP World Tour.
"I haven’t been playing terribly and before that I felt like I had been playing quite well.
“It’s been quite frustrating and bewildering to be honest, my golf lately. I feel like I should be doing better than I am.
"It’s a funny game, I have driven myself mad with it, but I am just trying to keep focused and forget about everything else. I do need a decent result to be honest.
"The fact that I can go out there and at least focus on my game, shoot six under [suggests] there’s definitely a few good rounds in me I think before the year is out."
Beginning his day off the tenth tee, Pepperell made three birdies in his opening six holes before cancelling out a bogey at the 17th with a bounce-back birdie at the closing hole of his front nine.
He was flawless from then on, making an eagle on the par-five fourth and a birdie at the long seventh to share the early clubhouse lead alongside Mike Lorenzo-Vera at six under.
In typically honest fashion, Pepperell said his performance had come somewhat out of the blue after a “horrific” performance in the Pro-Am on Wednesday.
“I was a bit worried last night, woke up early and was thinking about all sorts,” he said.
“I had to focus my mind, had a decent warm-up, took it to the course and hit some decent shots. I didn’t play fantastic, but I scored pretty well.
“It was a good opening day and beat my expectations.”
