BATTLING Gary Emerson holed a sensational bunker shot for an eagle to kick-start his BMW Championship at Wentworth on Thursday.

Emerson's three on the par five 12th spurred the Broadstone touring professional on to a creditable one-under-par 71 and a share of 35th place after the opening day.

Up until his eagle, Emerson had been growing more and more frustrated as he slumped to three over par after six holes without hardly putting a foot wrong.

"I didn't miss a shot in the first six holes but was struggling on the greens," explained Emerson. "I just couldn't make a putt and that was the crux of the problem."

Emerson's tee shot on the short second hole typified his early misfortune. What looked a perfectly struck iron shot got held up in the breeze, and despite landing just yards from the pin, spun back off the green and down the embankment.

His second dropped shot followed at the third hole when he three putted from the back of the green. And Emerson found himself three over par after taking three from a similar distance on the sixth hole.

At this point, astonishingly, Emerson was three shots adrift of his playing partner Costantino Rocca. The former Ryder Cup star had hit practically every tree on the course, but still managed to scramble his way back to level par from a double bogey start.

Emerson's body language was becoming more despondent, but he never lost faith in his ability to bounce back.

"I knew I was playing well it was just a case of hanging in there and waiting for something good to happen," said Emerson.

The tide looked to be turning for Emerson on the 403 yard 11th when he nailed his approach shot to within five feet of the pin. But, despite sizing up every angle with his caddy, he misread the slippery downhill putt.

At that stage, it looked like it just wasn't going to be Emerson's day.

But he eventually got the break his excellent play deserved when he landed his eagle three from a greenside bunker at the next hole.

Emerson went from strength to strength and clawed his way back to level par with a birdie three at the 383 yard 16th.