Scott in battle at the Australian Open

Adam Scott faces a fight to avoid missing the Australian Open cut for the first time in his 15-year professional career after enduring a horror start on Thursday.

As American young gun Jordan Spieth finished with a flurry to claim the clubhouse lead with a four-under-par 67, Scott opened with a three-over 74 to be languishing in 82nd position.

The Masters runner-up at Augusta this year to Bubba Watson, Spieth collected three straight birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes to burst from the pack in cool and overcast conditions.

The 21-year-old was one stroke clear of Aron Price and Scott Gardiner, who landed himself a $74,000 sportscar with a spectacular hole in one on the 176-metre par-3 11th hole.

World No.1 Rory McIlroy overcame jet-lag to card a two-under 69 to be well in the mix in a seven-way share of fourth spot as much of the field struggled to tame Jack Nicklaus’s revamped layout at The Australian.

Scott had a particularly tough day – but it could have been much worse.

Opening with a double-bogey six on the first hole, Scott went out in 40 on the front nine before clawing back two shots to be seven behind Spieth.

The world No.3 was nevertheless still in danger of missing the halfway cut for the first time in 11 appearances at his national championship since turning pro in 2000.

The 2013 Masters champion will likely need to rebound with a low number on Friday morning to ensure himself a weekend tee time.

“I made the worst of my worst shots and didn’t convert the good ones early,” Scott said.

“I have to play three really great days now and it seems that’s what I’m doing week after week.

“But I’ll claw my way back into it tomorrow morning, get into red figures and hopefully won’t be too far back come the weekend.”

Richard Green, Adam Crawford, Brendon de Jonge, Andrew Tampion and Geoff Drakeford were all tied with McIlroy at two under.

Crawford had an eagle on the par-5 14th, as well as four birdies and four bogeys, but McIlroy’s round wasn’t anywhere near as eventful.

Starting his title defence from the 10th tee, the world No.1 turned in even par after notching just one birdie on his opening nine, at the 459-metre 14th.

He handed the shot straight back when unable to save par from the trap on the par-3 15th before collecting up-and-down birdies on the first and fifth holes – his 10th and 14th for the day – to climb to two under.

McIlroy again dropped a shot after finding the sand with his approach on the seventh but, after labouring most of the morning, the Northern Irishman stiffed an approach shot at the last to briefly grab a share of the clubhouse lead.

Playing alongside McIlroy, Matt Jones – a lifelong member of the course – struck a spectator in the head with an errant drive on the second-last hole.

There was concern for the fan, with medics called, but he appeared okay and received a signed ball from the US PGA Tour star, who refused to blame the incident for his late implosion in a disappointing round of 76.

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