Adam Scott’s quest to become world number one has been stalled with dangerous weather halting play in the opening round of the World Golf Championship’S Cadillac Championship.

Scott rattled off six straight pars to be tied 18th before players were pulled off Doral’s Blue Monster course with the area on tornado watch.

The Queenslander needs to win the event and have world No.1 Tiger Woods finish worse than fifth to take top spot in the rankings.

He trails event leader and fellow major winner Jason Dufner by five shots with the American at five-under-par through 10 holes.

Last week’s US PGA tour winner of the Honda Classic, Russell Henley, sits second at four under through 10 holes while former number one Englishman Luke Donald (11 holes) is tied with American Patrick Reed (six holes) in third at three under.

Woods, who is playing with Scott, is one over to be tied 39th in the 68-man elite field.

Australian world No.4 Jason Day withdrew with a thumb injury before starting his round.

Day was set to play with marquee pairing Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy but pulled the pin with a grade-one ulnar collateral ligament strain in his left thumb.

Fresh from winning the WGC Match Play Championship two weeks ago, the 26-year-old decided not to risk further injury before next month’s Masters.

Brett Rumford had a sensationally poor start to his tournament, carding a sextuple-bogey 11 on his opening hole.

Starting on the par five 10th, Rumford hit three tee balls into the large lake before finally finding dry land on the fourth attempt.

He followed up the disaster with another bogey to be dead last at seven over through eight holes.

The other Australian, Scott Hend, is one over through 13 holes.