TWO birdies in his last five holes helped Eddie Pepperell make a promising start to life back on the European Tour.

The Abingdon golfer carded a two-under-par 70 in the first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship today.

Pepperell had not played competitively since a back injury forced him to withdraw from the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai two months ago.

He started well by picking up a shot at the par-five second, but bogeyed the third and seventh holes to slip to one over.

The World No 35, who has not completed a tournament since claiming the British Masters title in October, recovered with a birdie at the eighth as he completed the front nine in a level-par 36.

Five successive pars, including the ninth, saw Pepperell stabilise his round.

He then went on to birdie the 14th, before picking up another shot at the par-five 18th to finish on two under.

The Frilford Heath member begins his second round at 3.30am GMT tomorrow, partnering compatriot Ian Poulter and Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen.