American star Brandt Snedeker has endured a forgettable start to the Australian PGA Championship at a wild and woolly Royal Pines.
The world No.38 and tournament drawcard began his round on the 10th tee in wet and windy conditions on the Gold Coast and immediately felt the wrath of the redesigned course with back-to-back bogeys.
But things soon became even worse for the former FedEx Cup champion, taking a double-bogey on the 12th followed by a triple-bogey on the 13th.
Snedeker finally made a par on the short 14th, but fell to eight over through seven holes when he took a bogey on the par-3 16th.
But he’s not alone at the wrong end of the leaderboard with Queenslander Paul Hayden also eight over through 10 holes in extremely trying conditions.
World No.57 David Lingmerth, another of the high-profile players this week, was also in early trouble opening with a bogey and a double off the 10th tee.
But the sweet-swinging Swede has recovered back to four over through 11 holes with birdies on the 16th and 2nd holes.
At the other end of the board, livewire Victorian Jack Wilson and consistent Canberran Matt Millar lead the way at two under the card.
Both players are blemish-free through eight holes having teed off on the first.
Italian star Edoardo Molinari, a former Ryder Cup player, is the highest ranked of the European contingent, alongside five other players at one under in early going.
The Australian PGA Championship is co-sanctioned with the European Tour and has drawn a host of players eager to start the next Race To Dubai in style.