Staff WriterIf you’ve been wondering where the swagger of Eddie Pepperell went, look no further than Normandy.
The Englishman lit up Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil with a sizzling 66 on moving day, throwing nine birdies into the mix and vaulting into a three-way tie at the top of the Le Vaudreuil Challenge leaderboard.
Sharing the spotlight with fellow Brit David Horsey and Sweden’s Albin Bergstrom at 13-under par, Pepperell looked every bit the man who last lifted silverware at the 2018 Sky Sports British Masters.
“So far this week, I’ve played the golf I used to play,” said the 34-year-old, who’s returned to action after a six-week sabbatical. “I’ve hit a lot of three woods, and I’ve been hitting my irons well again which is the formula I’ve been looking for.”
The Englishman had a mixed front nine—three birdies offset by a double bogey—but turned it on after the turn, rattling off five birdies in six holes to remind everyone that his iron play, when on song, is still a weapon.
“I hit some really good mid-irons which gives me the most satisfaction, because that’s the key to my game. I played the par fives pretty solidly and that’s where you get a lot of the birdies from. Nine birdies is good stuff.”
Even a dropped shot at 17 couldn’t rattle him. A bounce-back birdie on 18 closed the round with a flourish and sent a clear message: Pepperell isn’t just here for the walk. He’s here to win.
“It’s easier to stay calmer when you feel like you know where your next good shot is coming from,” he added. “I feel refreshed for sure. I feel much calmer and my energy levels have been a lot better which is a good sign. I’m definitely in a better place physically and psychologically too.”
Meanwhile, David Horsey, 40 and still grinding with the best of them, also signed for 65—his second strong round after a 66 on Friday. With eight birdies and just one bogey on the card, Horsey’s form suggests he’s not just chasing a win—he’s chasing momentum.
“A win would kick-start the season,” he said. “It gives me a chance tomorrow now.”
Horsey’s game has been knocking on the door, he admits. Solid rounds have come, but they’ve been islands in a sea of inconsistency. That could all change with a steady Sunday.
“I’ve been putting rounds together, just not tournaments,” he said. “I played similar to yesterday really—just very solid. Holed a few from range and hit a few close. There were a couple of good par saves too.”
For Albin Bergstrom, it’s all new territory. The 26-year-old Swede, fresh out of the Nordic Golf League, dropped a flawless seven-under round and now finds himself in the final group of the Le Vaudreuil Challenge with a maiden HotelPlanner Tour title in reach.
“It’s the first time I’ve been in this position, so it’s going to be a little different and not something I’m used to, but I’m very excited for tomorrow,” said Bergstrom. “It would mean everything to win. It would mean that I could set a schedule for the rest of the season and also for the next year.”
If nerves are coming, he didn’t show them on Saturday.
“Today I was just going out with the same mentality as the first two days—trying to make as many birdies as possible and not make any mistakes. When I finished on 18, I was seven under, so I was very happy.”
Just behind the trio is France’s Robin Sciot-Siegrist, one back at 12-under, still within striking distance after leading overnight. A group of four, including Steven Brown, Clement Charmasson, Daniel Young, and Rocco Repetto Taylor, lurk at 11-under, while American Nick Carlson and Spain’s Joseba Torres are also in the mix at 10-under.
The final round of the Le Vaudreuil Challenge tees off at 7:30am local time, with Pepperell, Horsey, and Bergstrom going out in the final trio at 11:30am. Expect fireworks—and maybe, just maybe, a return to the winner’s circle for a rejuvenated Pepperell.
