EDDIE Pepperell gave himself a platform to make the cut at the US Open after carding a level-par opening round.
The Abingdon golfer was in the top ten at the halfway point of his round, but lost ground on the back nine, until a birdie at the final hole saw him finish with a 72.
Pepperell is in a group sharing 47th place at Erin Hills, seven shots behind leader Rickie Fowler.
It remains comfortably the 26-year-old's best first round in the three majors he has played in the United States.
Pepperell opened with a birdie at the first, before dropping shots at the second and fourth holes.
The Frilford Heath member bounced back immediately with a birdie at the fifth - and surged up the leaderboard by picking up further shots at the eighth and ninth.
The latter, set up by a superb tee shot at the 150-yard par three, got him to two-under for the tournament.
But Pepperell found the back nine in Wisconsin tougher, dropping shots at the 11th, 12th and 17th.
A birdie at the 632-yard par five 18th hole saw him get back to level par ahead of the second round, which he begins at 12.56pm (BST) on Friday.
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