EDDIE Pepperell is pinning his hopes of earning a European Tour card on playing well next week after sitting out the penultimate event of the season, which starts today.

The top 20 on the European Challenge Tour rankings at the end of the year will be promoted to the elite tour for 2013.

With two events remaining Pepperell sits 16th, after an excellent first full season in the second tier.

But the Frilford Heath golfer has taken the bold decision not to play in the Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Challenge, which starts today.

Instead Pepperell has spent the week recharging his batteries ahead of the lucrative Grand Final in Italy next week.

He said: “I don’t want to play any more than three tournaments in a row and the Grand Final would have been my fourth.

“That’s the most important week, the purse is twice as big.

“If I go out there and do well I’m going to give myself a good chance and it’s about being fresh for that.

“This week I’ve been able to practice and see my coach, so I’ve stuck to my plan.”

With many of the players just outside the top 20 playing this week, the 21-year-old could find himself slipping down the rankings by Sunday evening.

Pepperell will be keeping one eye on the action in Denmark, but insisted whatever happens it would make little difference to his approach in San Domenico next week.

“Obviously, there are scenarios that can play out which can affect the way I feel, but that’s all I can do,” he said.

“I’m not going to take much notice, at the end of the day if I get a top five finish next week I’m going to have my European Tour card for next season, regardless of what happens this week.”