Adam Scott was relieved to stay in contention at the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea after getting off to the worst possible start early on Thursday morning.

Scott, starting his first round from the 10th tee at 7.30am on a crisp, bright Seoul morning, put his drive into the middle of the fairway but then found water and took a double-bogey six.

“It was freezing cold and I couldn’t feel my hands,” said the World No.12, the highest-ranked player at the tournament.

“Second shot was, you know, a cold golf swing with a stiff body. Straight in the water, so an easy double.”

Scott gradually warmed to his task and finished with a birdie at his last hole, the ninth, to card a one-under par 71, just a shot off the early clubhouse lead held by four players on two-under 70: Richie Ramsay of Scotland, Jamie Donaldson of Wales, Englishman Mark Foster and South Korea’s Jung Ji-ho.

The finishing flourish left the Australian pleased with his day’s work.

“Anything under par today is a very good score,” Scott said.

“It’s one of those days in golf where you can lose it on the first day easily and play your way out of the tournament.

“It was important for me to scramble and stay in touch and hopefully that’s where I’ll be for the rest of the day and then I’ll go into tomorrow really optimistic.”