THREE dropped shots in the final two holes halted Eddie Pepperell's progress in the inaugural NBO Oman Open.

The Abingdon golfer had fought back from an early double bogey to sit inside the top ten coming to the end of his opening round in Al Mouj.

But a disastrous finish saw him drop down the field to a share of 34th.

Pepperell made a dream start with a birdie on his first hole, the tenth, only to record a double bogey at the next.

However, five birdies saw him shoot up the leaderboard and he was only three shots behind leader Paul Waring going into the final two holes.

But a bogey followed by double bogey saw him close on a low.