EDDIE Pepperell says he is fit and raring to go for this week's Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

The European Tour professional, from Abingdon, hit the headlines last year at Royal County Down when he lost in a three-man play-off for the title, which went to Denmark's Soren Kjieldsen.

"I like Ireland a lot, but obviously it's on a very different course to last year," he said.

"It's a change from links to a parkland course.

"I tend to prefer because I enjoy playing in the wind, but parkland courses present their own problems."

Pepperell is in a much better frame of mind now than he was in Morocco a fortnight ago when he pulled in mid-tournament

This prompted fears that he may have had a repeat of the back injury that caused him to pull out of last year's Turkish Airlines Open.

But the 25-year-old says that was not an issue.

"The back's fine – it's nothing structural and I feel I can manage it," he explained.

"It's not something I've done before, but I was becoming a strain on my playing partners, who had to keep looking for my ball after wayward drives.

"For the past two weeks, I've worked hard on my game and much happier with where the ball is going.

"Also this season, I've not be been putting particularly well. But I'm hoping for better things this week."

Pepperell will tee off with Frenchman Gary Stal and Stephen Dodd, from Wales, at 1pm today.