Eddie Pepperell fought back from a triple bogey seven to shoot a three-under-par 69 in the first round of the BMW Internatonal Open in Munich yesterday.

The Frilford Heath player’s disaster came at the 447-yard third hole, but he recovered thanks to three birdies in the last five holes to stand four shots off the lead.

The three joint leaders are Swede Lasse Jensen, Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Daniel Gaunt, of England, who are a shot clear of Andrew Johnston.