Virginia Water, Surrey … It was not the birthday present Russell Knox’s wife was expecting after Scotland’s top-ranked player posted a shock 75 on the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship.

Knox struggled on a first journey around the famed ‘Burma Road’ West Course managing just two birdies but also posting three bogeys and a hurtful ninth hole double in a round of a three over par 75.

It left Knox trailing 10 shots behind the leading duo of big-hitting Aussie Scott Hend, in-form Dutchman and Korean Y E Yang, winner over Tiger Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship.

Hend is coming off a victory 10 weeks ago in Thailand but he’s lost his regular caddy, Tony Carolan and a former Australian tour pro, for some two-and-a-half months.

Hend said:  “Tony and the Mrs strapped the fishing boat to the roof of their off-road and they headed off exploring and fishing for two months along the ‘Top End’ (Northern part of Australia) including the Kakadu’s  (National Park) before the start of the ‘wet season’.

Russell Knox after his shock score of 75 – second week running he’s shot a three par tally.

Knox reckons his poor round was mixture of the strain of being in contention at last week’s Irish Open and the uncertainty of a borrowed driver, along with hosting a corporate day at Walton Heath on Monday, and then dialling in his replacement driver.

He said:  “Obviously I didn’t play very well. I made a pretty bad mistake on nine. I was even at that point and going along well but I tugged a 7-iron and got in a hissy-fit for the next 15 minutes which cost me a few shots.

“I just hit it in a shot you couldn’t hit it and was way too aggressive. That was probably down to a lack of knowledge of the course.

“I went at a pin that I probably had no business going at. That cost me a double.

“I am in a big hole. I played ok after that and I just ran it past the edge of the hole for four of the last five holes. I made one nice putt today.

“It was one of those days. I didn’t play great but I should have been able to get it round in par.

“So I underestimated the severity of the greens. I had very few flat putts. There is a lot of break and I didn’t deal with that well today.

“Maybe I should have played another round. This was my first go at the tournament and there is no substitute for experience around a course like this where the greens are so severe.

“I didn’t play good enough.”

And when asked if he was feeling both physically and mentally drained after going so close to denying Rory McIlroy for the Irish Open title, the new World No. 23 agreed.

“I am maybe a little drained. I had an outing on Monday,” said Knox.

“I had to get the driver and putter fixed on Tuesday. I played the pro-am on Wednesday afternoon and then had a morning tee time. It wasn’t ideal preparation but it’s no excuse.

“I feel fine.  The driver is okay. It comes off a little higher than my last one. I hit a couple of bad ones but I mostly kept it in play. That wasn’t the reason for three over. It was down to some mediocre iron play and some terrible putting.”