A late hat-trick of birdies saved Paul Casey from a nightmare start to his challenge at the UBS Hong Kong Open.
Just four days after claiming his fifth European Tour title, Casey looked like crashing back to earth at Fanling Golf Club.
Last week's win lifted Casey back into the world's top 50 - he rose 12 places from 61st to 49th - which will guarantee him a place in next year's US Masters if he can remain there at the end of the year.
But the chances of earning any more world ranking points looked slim to say the least after the Ryder Cup star slumped to six over par after nine holes this morning.
Starting on the 10th, Casey ran up a double-bogey six at the 11th and then dropped four more shots in the space of five holes to go to the turn in 42.
A first birdie of the day finally arrived on the fourth - his 13th - but that was sandwiched between two more dropped shots and it took birdies at the last three holes to salvage a four-over-par round of 74.
Casey was at least not alone in struggling to maintain last week's form, Wilson going to the turn in 41 on his way to a 75.
Korea's Wook-Soon Kang - winner here in 1998 - held the lead on six under par with India's Jyoti Randhawa, Canada's Rick Gibson and Swede Martin Erlandsson a shot behind.
England's Richard McEvoy was a stroke further back on four-under, while defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez recorded a 69, Thomas Bjorn finished on level par and Nick Dougherty was one-over.
Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy head the Irish contingent on two-under.
