Australian Adam Scott made a superb start to the Open Championship on Thursday - but he wasn't the only big name at the top.
Scott opened with six-under-par 64 on Thursday, a round that could have set a new record for the lowest Open round at Royal Lytham but for a bogey at the 18th.
Scott was seven under with two to play, and for a moment even a magical 62 seemed a possibility.
Still, 64 was a fantastic score, and gave him a one-shot lead over 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie of Scotland, American Zach Johnson and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at the end of the first round.
"I know there's never been a 62 and when I was waiting to use the bathroom going to the 17th tee I did a look at the leaderboard and realised it was a par-70," said Scott.
"And I also probably then realised that I wasn't going to be the guy to shoot 62. It's one of those things that you don't want to go through your mind, thinking about your final score and stuff like that. So I got rid of that quickly
and got on to playing the 17th, but unfortunately dropped one up the last.
"My goal starting the week was to play today like it was Sunday and there was no tomorrow. I did a good job of that."
Scott revealed that his caddie Steve Williams - who worked for Tiger Woods during 13 of his 14 major wins - had helped focus his mind on making a fast start.
"We talked about that mindset because I was playing well at all the majors this year, but the first round I'm shooting myself in the foot a little bit and making it too much work to get back in it," said Scott.
"He [Williams] wanted me to go to that first tee today like it was the 72nd hole and you have three to win. Really switch yourself on from the first hole. That was a good little trigger he helped out with."
Joint second-placed Lawrie, meanwhile, chipped in twice in the first five holes for two of his six birdies, admitting: "It was the most bizarre five holes of my career. I was three under and could have been one over."
There were a host of other big names - and major winners - challenging at the top, however, including three-time Claret Jug winner Tiger Woods, this year's Masters champion Bubba Watson, 2011 US Open champion Rory
McIlroy, 2003 Open champion Ernie Els and 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell - all of whom opened with three-under-par 67s to lie three shots off the lead.
McIlroy achieved his score despite a double bogey on the 15th after his drive hit a spectator on the head, went 20 yards right and finished out of bounds by a few inches.
"He could have headed it the other way," he joked before adding: "The most important thing was that he was ok.
"I didn't realise there was out of bounds over there. I was shocked when I was told, but it's just one of those things and I thought I did well to keep my composure."
Elsewhere, World No 1 Luke Donald opened with a level-par 70, while Lee Westwood had a disappointing 73.
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