EDDIE Pepperell is looking to take the pressure off ahead of his second major tournament in three weeks.

Fresh from a quick break following his superb tie for sixth place at The Open last month, the Abingdon golfer begins his challenge at the US PGA Championship tomorrow.

He is in the first group to tee off, at 12.50pm (BST), alongside Michael Block and Ryan Fox.

Pepperell went to Carnoustie with high hopes after finishing second at the Scottish Open and knew the set-up in Angus would suit his game.

But Bellerive Country Club in Missouri will provide a totally different challenge, especially with the 27-year-old training sparingly while he manages an ongoing wrist issue.

He said: “I need some good solid rest, but the schedule isn’t allowing it.

“It’s not stopping me playing, but I’m not practising as much as I would like to but that can work for and against you.

“It would be true to say the course doesn’t set up in the way I have had success in the last year.

“That doesn’t mean to say I can’t play well.

“There’s not a lot of point going out there expecting lots from myself because I have had two weeks where I haven’t done a lot.

“I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I’m going out there for a week to play in a golf tournament.

“I’ll probably enjoy the event more than I did at Carnoustie, where there were more expectations internally.”

It is the second time Pepperell has qualified for the tournament, having missed the cut at Whistling Straits in 2015.

But the Frilford Heath member knows if he can get anywhere close to replicating his result at The Open, it would open the door to big rewards.

Ranked 57 in the world already, another strong result would significantly boost his hopes of finishing the year inside the top 50.

That would qualify him for the US Masters at Augusta for the first time, along with entry to the World Golf Championship events in 2019.

He said: “If I can have a good result next week or a good end of the year I can turn it into three in a row by getting into Augusta next year.

“This is a reward for what I have done for the last year and a half.

“I’ve got a good chance of getting into all four majors next year and the WGC events as well.”