EDDIE Pepperell is planning on skipping the US PGA Championship even if restrictions on flying internationally ease later this summer.

Golf is one of the few sports which has been able to partially reopen in the past week as the government eased lockdown rules.

Pepperell was back out to play nine holes at Frilford Heath yesterday, but the world No 65 is not rushing to sharpen up given there is no real sense of when tournaments will restart.

Even when events can be held, most likely behind closed doors, the issue of quarantine rules being brought in by the UK make regular overseas travel all-but impossible.

There is hope the regulations will be temporary, but regardless Pepperell is not willing to risk taking up his place at August’s PGA Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco.

He said: “I won’t play that, even if the restrictions are lifted.

“The rumours around the European Tour schedule are there will be some UK-based events at the end of July and early August.

“I don’t really see the point of going to the States for one week when I could potentially play three or four in the UK.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens with the schedule, but certainly with the US PGA being in San Francisco, it’s a long way to go for a week.”

And the golfer from Abingdon is unlikely to be alone.

Pepperell said: “We had Francesco Molinari on our podcast and he said as things stand he won’t be travelling to America.

“I know Tommy Fleetwood said the same. I won’t be going anywhere outside of Europe certainly at this point.”

That standpoint is likely to be even more popular if suggestions that exemptions will be carried over into 2021 regardless of results this year come into force.

“In my mind that’s security,” the 29-year-old said.

“You haven’t got to take the risks to begin with if you don’t want to in terms of travel. I just don’t know what the rest of the year looks like.

“I’m looking forward to getting back and playing, for sure, but not to the point where I’m going to go crazy with it.”

In the meantime, Pepperell has sought to make a positive out of the lockdown.

He has focused on getting in better shape and has been pleasantly surprised by his form since returning to the course.

“The first time back I was bogey free for nine holes, two-under,” he said.

“It’s funny, last year when I took four weeks of complete rest, the next week back, at the Irish Open, was the best I felt I had hit the ball.

“I think a rest can be good, it completely resets the system.

“I’ve still been thinking about golf a lot and doing drills, which keeps you ticking over.

“But your career could be 25 years, so the opportunity to have a complete rest for a couple of months I think is a really good thing.”