AUSTRALIAN OPEN DAY ONE WRAP: Heavy favourites Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth blown away

By Australian Golf Digest

By Evin Priest

The heavy favourites were blown away during round one of the Australian Open as surprise packet Lincoln Tighe upstaged Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth to take the first round lead at The Australian Golf Club with an early morning 66.

Tighe, who won the 2014 NSW PGA Championship, teed off at 7.45am and rattled off three birdies and a bogey to make the turn at 2-under par. He then picked up four birdies and would have signed for a 66 but for a bogey on his penultimate hole. Regardless, the world No.1022 posted the early clubhouse lead of 5-under and it was bettered by none of the superstars in the field as gusting winds wreaked havoc.

High expectations were on defending champion Jordan Spieth, but The Masters and US Open champion cancelled out three birdies with three bogeys to sign for an even-par 71, in what the world No.1 admitted was  “pretty boring golf.”

The other marquee player, Adam Scott, opened his round with a birdie, but double bogeys at the par-4 seventh and ninth holes left him in a dire position. However, the 2013 Masters champion made a stunning comeback on the second nine, rattling off four birdies and a bogey to claw back to even par.

Local Matt Jones – a member at The Australian since the age of 15 – did his best to battle the breeze as he carded a creditable 4-under par 67, while Geoff Ogilvy boosted his chances at a second Australian Open title with a 3-under 68.

Full results, click here