For a second straight day, the 2026 DP World India Championship was cut short early due to darkness. The weather hasn't exactly cooperated in New Delhi, causing long delays and restarts.
Eddie Pepperell didn't even swing a club on Day 1 and then hustled through 36 holes Friday to get caught up. He shot 71-66 with his wife on the bag and sits at 7 under overall, one shot off the lead held by four golfers: Angel Hidalgo, Adrian Meronk (a DP World Tour winner two weeks ago), Joost Luiten and Thomas Detry (who is actually only three six holes into his second round).
"I didn't have great expectations," he said. "Such a long day, 36 holes. I haven't done that since probably a U.S. Open qualifier."
For Pepperell, it is a much-needed boost as he fights
to maintain his status on the tour. A week ago, he only got in the field at the Spanish Open with a sponsor invitation but made the most of it, making the cut on the number and then finishing 55th, which doesn't sound great, but it moved him from 101 to 100 in the Race to Dubai Rankings. Only the top 100 keep their cards.
Still, Pepperell insists he's not worrying about his status.
"Honestly, I haven't really been thinking about that a great deal, to be quite frank, and that's obviously a good thing," he said. "So I'm not thinking about that, just trying to play good golf. And that's a bit of a cliché thing to say, but it's the reality. And enjoy our time. The event is fantastic. We're staying on site, Jen and I; Jen is on the bag. We're really enjoying ourselves. Long may that continue."
Just two years ago, Pepperell lost his card after missing a badly needed eagle putt on the final hole of DP World Tour Q School. What ensued were some dark times, he said.
"I brought that up not to try and invoke any sympathy in any way, shape or form, and it was all true what happened last year, but it was just that I was so, so frustrated," he said in August at the British Masters, admitting to self-harm.
"When you're that frustrated, the psychological, I found to replace it with the physical pain was much more comforting than the emotional suffering I was feeling on the golf course and it was mostly just a derivative of feeling so, so frustrated. But I haven't been there this year. I think I've been in a generally better place, my form has been better and I think I've come through that darkish period."
Fans will certainly be rooting for Pepperell to return to form. Popular on social media, he's venturing into other kinds of media now, as he hosts a podcast called "The Chipping Forecast." Whether that becomes his full-time future remains to be seen.
"Historically I've had nothing else to do," he said at the British Masters. "I think that's the unfortunate reality for a lot of folks: you have no other option so you just keep doing it. It's a nice story to try and tell that it's about resilience and character and of course it is to some degree but at the same time it's also about that you do something because there's nothing else to do and if you stick at something long enough, the law of averages determine that some good will happen and some bad will happen."
It was at the British Masters where Pepperell expressed a simple philosophy.
"I'm really trying to just hit better shots," he stated matter-of-factly. "I know that if I get it right for a week or two then I'll have a decent enough result somewhere along the line that will pretty much secure my card and probably get me a few more opportunities between now and the end of the season. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, it will be what it will be."
Todd Kelly is the assistant managing editor of Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fighting to keep his card, Eddie Pepperell plays 36 holes in one day, sits one off the lead
