Adam Scott has fired a one-over par 71 in his first competitive round since his British Open collapse, putting the defending champion five shots off the lead at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

Jim Furyk took the first-round lead with a seven-under 63, Lee Slattery was two shots behind while six players carded four-under 66s.

Australian John Senden, Luke Donald and Bubba Watson headline the pack tied third.

With plenty watching to see how he would react following the disappointment at Royal Lytham and St Annes, Scott stood tall on the 10th tee, his first hole and hammered his drive straight down the middle of the fairway.

He looked calm, confident, and every bit the man who won last year and dominated the Open Championship through 68 holes.

He stuffed his approach to tap in birdie range on the 11th, his second, and looked set to make another on the 14th when he fired inside 10 feet.

But, in what can only be described as a brain melt, he blasted the first putt four feet past and then inexplicably missed twice more from short range for a four-putt double bogey.

A long birdie on the 17th ensured he returned to level par but after a run of six pars, a wild drive right on the sixth led to a bogey and his eventual 71.

“I think I played well but certainly my putting was a bit spotty,” Scott said.

“I kind of switched off there for a second on the 14th green. I played fine but just didn’t really have the pace of the greens at all.

“I went from charging everything to leaving things short.”