EDDIE Pepperell says he feels ready to attack a series of high-profile tournaments in North America after a steady start to the year.

The 28-year-old returned home to Sutton Courtenay last weekend following a trio of events in the Middle East.

And now he is gearing up for a two-month stretch playing on the other side of the Atlantic.

It starts with the Frilford Heath member’s World Golf Championships (WGC) debut in Mexico later this month.

As a member of the world’s top 50, he will also be in the exclusive fields at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.

After another WGC competition, Pepperell will then play at the US Masters – the only major he is yet to experience.

“It’s a really nice run of events to look forward to,” he said.

“There are new opportunities and new places to see. I’m ready for it and excited for that.

“It all depends on how I play – nothing will get me going if I’m not playing well, but I don’t expect that to happen.

“The Masters obviously will be a good one. Of all the events coming up that will be the one where I have the lowest expectations.

EDDIE PEPPERELL’S CALENDAR

  • Feb 21-24: WGC – Mexico Championship, Chapultepec GC
  • Mar 7-10: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill
  • Mar 14-17: The Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass
  • Mar 27-31: WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play, Austin
  • Apr 11-14: The Masters, Augusta National

“I certainly won’t be putting any pressure on myself that week, it will be about enjoying the experience.”

It is a great opportunity for Pepperell, who climbed up the rankings in 2018 thanks to his first two wins on the European Tour.

The season ended painfully, with a back injury forcing him to withdraw from the finale in Dubai.

But after two months of rest, Pepperell returned to the region for two tournaments in the United Arab Emirates, before playing in Saudi Arabia last week.

He missed the cut at the latter, ending a bad week which had begun with lost luggage.

Before that he had finished in a share of 49th in Abu Dhabi and joint 38th in Dubai.

While neither result was spectacular, Pepperell is a notoriously slow starter and is comfortable with his form – particularly after the injury.

He said: “Historically I’m not very good in January, so I didn’t buck that trend.

“I just didn’t get it going in Saudi Arabia and in the first two events I didn’t play well, but I wasn’t terrible.

“Those three events were always going to be about seeing how the body went.

“It was a learning opportunity moving forward.

“The three events were an opportunity to see my swing, see where things aren’t quite right.

“I’m not one of those players who can just turn up after two months off in a good spot.

“I have to work my way into it and that’s how I used these three weeks.

“If I carry on doing what I have been doing last year there will be enough good results to stay in the top 50.”