GARY Emerson has admitted 'it's great to be back' at Wentworth as he prepares for his 11th PGA championship on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Broadstone professional booked his place after regaining his full playing privileges by winning the BMW Russian Open last August.

Emerson's victory in Moscow also resulted in an invitation to last night's European Tour dinner at the famous Wentworth Club.

As a result of new sponsors, the annual Professional Golfers Association's flagship event has been renamed the BMW Championship 2005.

But regardless of title, the tournament is all about the wonder of Wentworth and is the closest that the European Tour comes to Emerson's hometown Bournemouth.

Wentworth is one of Emerson's favourite courses and has been a happy hunting ground for him in recent years.

Before his enforced absence last year, Emerson had played in four successive tournaments, only missing the halfway cut once over the West Course.

His most successful year came in 2000 when he won £19,400 for finishing in a tie for 17th place with a six-under-par total.

Another top-25 finish, and a cheque for £22,000, came 12 months later when Emerson secured a share of 21st place in the same year his close friend Andrew Oldcorn lifted the coveted title.

"Being on the Tour is all about playing in big tournaments and they don't come much bigger than this one," said Emerson, who is currently 82nd on the order of merit.

"I've always enjoyed coming to Wentworth and it's great to be back. I have a good track record there and hopefully that will continue this weekend," he added.

But Emerson's first four visits as a West Region order of merit qualifier from 1990-94 were not so successful as he failed to make the cut on each occasion.

"When you're not playing at this level week-in, week-out it is extremely difficult to raise your game," said Emerson, who made his first cut in 1996 a year after winning his European Tour card.

"It's not that the guys qualifying from the regional order of merits aren't good enough on their day, it's just such a big disadvantage not to be playing regularly on the Tour," he added.

In total, Emerson has played all four days on five occasions (1996, tied 46th on one under par; 1997 tied 32nd on level par; 2000 tied 17th on six under par; 2001 tied 21st on five under par; 2002 tied 61st two over par).

Emerson goes into this week's event in good spirits after playing all four days of the Irish Open in County Kildare last weekend.

"My scores over the last two rounds didn't give a true reflection on how I was playing," said Emerson, who carded 76, 71, 74 and 73 (six over par) for a share of 64th place.

"I was striking the ball better on the final day than I had been the previous three days, but wasn't getting the breaks," he added.

He tees off at 2.30pm with fellow Englishman David Lynn and former Ryder Cup star Costantino Rocca.