Scott struggles as four share early Masters lead

20 November 2014 10:16

World number two Adam Scott struggled in the opening round and was six strokes behind the leaders in his quest for a third straight Australian Masters in Melbourne on Thursday.

The defending champion shot a one-over par 73 in blustery conditions at the Metropolitan Golf Club in a round containing a double-bogey, one bogey and an eagle.

Scott, who is gearing for a crack at world number one Rory McIlroy in next week's Australian Open in Sydney, was back in the pack in a tie for 51st place behind four co-leaders.

Australians Steven Bowditch, Michael Wright, Stephen Allan and amateur Todd Sinnott opened the tournament with five-under rounds of 67.

It could have been significantly worse for Scott had he not managed a late eagle on the par-5 sixth -- his 15th hole after starting on the back nine.

"A strong northerly (wind) from the get go was always going to make it tough," Scott said.

"Unfortunately, I came a little unstuck on 18 and I was scrambling for the rest of the day from there, but I managed to salvage a couple of shots and walked off feeling not too bad."

Scott, the 2013 US Masters champion, is vying to become the first golfer to claim three successive Australian Masters gold jackets.

His boyhood idol and fellow countryman Greg Norman won six Australian Masters, but never more than two in a row.

Scott will again be playing in all of Australia's big three end-of-year tournaments -- the Masters, Open and Australian PGA Championship.

The first round continued a stellar year for US-based Bowditch after scoring a breakthrough victory at the Texas Open in March to rise to world No.91.

"I didn't feel like I played that great but I never really made any mistakes," Bowditch said.

"I hit some good shots early and didn't really capitalise on them."

American Kyle Stanley was the best of the small overseas contingent with three-under 69, one ahead of countryman Zac Blair, while a third American Boo Weekley was in a tie for 33rd with a par round of 72.

The Masters, whose roll call of past winners includes Scott, Norman, Ian Poulter (2011), Tiger Woods (2009), Justin Rose (2006) and Colin Montgomerie (2001), has fallen on hard times with organisers unable to entice leading international stars to play.

Source: AFP