Adam Scott has started superbly in his quest for a maiden Australian Masters title, taking the clubhouse lead after his opening round at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath.

The Australian world No.5 initially struggled to make the most of benign morning conditions on Thursday, managing just one birdie and one bogey in his first nine holes, after starting at the 10th.

But a run of five birdies in the first seven holes on the front nine lifted him to five under par and he parred the remaining two holes to complete a 67 and hold the outright lead.

Scott, chasing his first win for the year, held a one-shot buffer over Tasmanian pair Kalem Richardson and Craig Hancock and Queenslander Rika Batibasaga, who were all also in the clubhouse, and NSW tour veteran Peter O’Malley, who was nearing the end of his round.

Scott played with Irish 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell and 18-year-old West Australian amateur Oliver Goss.

Like Scott, both played their first nine holes in even par.

McDowell failed to match Scott’s run, picking up just one birdie on the homeward nine to end the day on one under par.

Goss birdied three of the first four holes after the turn to at one stage trail Scott by just one shot.

But two bogeys in his last four holes meant the teenager also ended the day on one under par, four shots from the lead.

Batibasaga has rebounded from spending time in a mental institution in the United States in 2008, when the stress of trying to establish his golf career pushed him over the edge.

Richardson, ranked No.1474 in the world, shared the lead with Scott with a hole to play but finished with a bogey.

O’Malley recovered from two bogeys in his first three holes with a run of six birdies and a bogey in his next 13.

Two-time Masters champion Robert Allenby shot a one-over-par 73.

Defending champion Englishman Ian Poulter and Victoria’s 2010 champion Stuart Appleby were just starting their rounds.