EDDIE Pepperell will be trying to put last week’s missed cut behind him when he competes in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The Abingdon golfer, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday, double-bogeyed his last hole to miss the halfway cut in Abu Dhabi.

He tees off at 4.50am (GMT) on Thursday morning in the first round with playing partners England’s Lee Slattery and American David Lipsky, hoping to show the form that brought him seven top-ten finishes in eight events towards the end of last year.

The high-class field includes defending champion Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy and last week’s winner Tommy Fleetwood.