EDDIE Pepperell was well down the field after a two-over-par 74 in the first round of the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City, South Africa.

The Frilford Heath golfer, with seven top-ten finishes in his last eight starts on the European Tour, shot just one birdie at his seventh hole – the 16th – in a round which contained 15 pars.

Pepperell was joint 46th in the limited field of 72 in the big-money tournament, where there is no cut.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger led the way with a five-under-par round of 67.

He was a shot clear of four players, including Scott Jamieson, one of Pepperell’s playing partners.