A CLUSTER of dropped shots early in the first round leaves Eddie Pepperell facing a tough task to make the cut at the Lyoness Open in Austria today.

A birdie at the second hole for the Abingdon golfer was swiftly forgotten as he dropped shots at the third and fourth, followed by a double bogey at the fifth.

The 26-year-old, who is playing at the US Open next week, stopped the rot, but was unable to repair most of the damage.

A birdie at the 13th was undone by a bogey at the next hole, and although he picked up a stroke at the 16th, the two-over-par round of 74 left him well down the field.