EDDIE Pepperell says he is fit and raring to go for this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at the K Club.

The European Tour pro, from Abingdon, last year lost in a three-man play-off for the title.

Two weeks ago Pepperell pulled out of a tournament in Morocco, which prompted fears that he may have had a recurrence of his persistent back injury.

However, he said: “The back’s fine.”

Pepperell added it was not a physical problem that caused him to retire.

“It’s not something I’ve done before, but I was becoming a strain on my playing partners, who had to keep looking for my ball after wayward drives,” he explained.

“For the past two weeks, I’ve worked hard on my game and am much happier with where the ball is going.”