PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – AUGUST 28: Eddie Pepperell of England tees off on the 3rd hole during day two of the D+D Real Czech Masters at Albatross Golf Resort on August 28, 2015 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
FRILFORD Heath’s Eddie Pepperell is looking forward to taking part in a tournament he enjoyed watching last year when he makes his World Golf Championships debut this week in Mexico City.
The Englishman has risen to 40th in the Official World Golf Ranking after a stellar 2018 Race to Dubai season which saw him win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and the Sky Sports British Masters.
And that has seen him go from being an interested viewer this time last year, to a member of the world-class field assembled at Chapultepec Golf Club for the first WGC event of the year.
The 28-year-old, who grew up playing golf at Drayton Park on the outskirts of Abingdon, insists he is only focusing on his technique rather than setting himself any goals for the season.
Eddie Pepperell said: “It’s a great course. It’s really tight in places. It’s funky but it’s fun, there’s a lot going on, so I’m looking forward to being part of it.
“I remember watching this event last year and I think it was the most fun event to watch on the whole of the calendar. When Justin Thomas holed that shot into the last, I thought it was just such a great moment.
“If you hit the ball quite straight, it’s hard to see how you’re going to get in trouble. You’re not going to hit many drivers. There’s a lot of fun little tee shots.”
“I’m trying to stay very focused on my technique. I think that keeps me in a good spot really. It stops me from getting too frustrated with results.
“I’m pretty focused on the technique – that’s really all I care about. When that’s good then I seem to play really good and when that’s not good, I seem to play really badly, so that tells me just try and get it right.”
Pepperell’s recent success has coincided with the arrival of long-serving European Tour caddy Micky Doran – who has carried for the likes of Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, David Howell when he won the HSBC Championship, Luke Donald Darren Clarke and current European No. 1, Francesco Molinari – and has been on the bag for 36 wins.
Eddie is known for his varied views on the world of golf – and travelling the world – via social media.
But despite the age difference with 49-year-old “old school” Doran, the partnership has proved a very successful one.
Mick, who was also on the bag when Italian Constantino Rocca holed that famous putt from the Valley of Sin to force a play-off with John Daly at the 1995 Open, at St Andrews, said: “I’m not just saying it because I work for him, but Eddie has a fantastic attitude.
“Eddie’s a really good lad and not many players would stand up for the caddies like he does and, particularly for such a young lad, he gets a lot of respect from the caddies. It’s not hard is it? But he does it.
“Eddie says what he thinks, is very highly thought of and it hasn’t got him in trouble yet so he must be doing alright.
“Everyone loves him on Twitter, he’s very honest,” said Doran, who took up caddying at the age of 12 at Wentworth, and started working on the European Tour in 1988.
