Adam Scott has made a solid start in his quest to become world No.1 in the weather-delayed opening round of the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship.
Scott rattled off six straight pars before players were pulled off Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster course thanks to a large storm, but quickly moved himself into red figures after a two-hour, 24-minute delay.
He sits at two-under par through nine holes in a tie for third after back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.
Needing to win the event and have world No.1 Tiger Woods finish worse than fifth to take top spot in the rankings, Australia’s 33-year-old Masters champion is just two shots off the lead held by American Jason Dufner.
Woods, who is playing with Scott, is one over to be tied 35th in the 68-man elite field.
The 14-time major winner bogeyed the fourth hole and is yet to make a birdie a week after withdrawing from the Honda Classic with back spasms.
Dufner, the reigning PGA Championship winner, sits alone on top at four-under through 14 holes.
Last week’s winner Russell Henley sits second at three under through 13 holes while Scott is joined by 10 other players in third.
Scott gave himself makeable birdie putts on the opening two holes but couldn’t capitalise and then with the wind picking up before the storm scrambled for some solid pars.
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-5 10th, Rumford hit three tee balls into a large lake before finally finding dry land on the fourth attempt.
He now finds himself eight over through 11 holes.
The other Australian, Scott Hend, is one over through 16 holes.
