A gear-change gamble has paid off big time and given Adam Scott an exciting shot at winning a second Masters green jacket a decade after his historic first.
With some sublime ball striking, Scott fired a four-under 68 for his best start in 22 appearances at Augusta National.
Australia's only ever Masters champion then revealed he was "winging it" after ditching his usual golf ball in a bid to find that winning feeling again following a slow start to 2023.
"I did some pretty major overhauling of my equipment, actually," Scott said after compiling three birdies, a brilliant eagle three on the 15th hole and a lone bogey after finding the trees off the tee at the last.
"That may not be a hundred per cent comfortable, but certainly I saw some benefit from doing that.
"I changed some shafts in my irons and my driver and my golf ball, so I'm kind of winging it a little bit out there.
"But it all feels pretty good. I putted very nicely today and that's always helpful around here."
Scott is sitting equal sixth on the 10th anniversary of his landmark 2013 triumph, three shots behind joint leaders Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland, and one back of fellow Australian former world No.1 Jason Day.
After recording back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes, he reeled off 10 consecutive pars before bursting to life late on the back nine.
He birdied the par-4 14th, then eagled the par-5 15th after a breathtaking six-iron approach over the water.
Scott was desperately unlucky not to have aced the par-3 16th, his ball spinning back and missing the cup by centimetres.
Unfortunately, he missed the birdie putt then another short attempt on No.17 before making his only bogey of the day on the last.
But he was still chuffed to card a first-round 68 for the first time, after opening with 69 on three previous occasions, including when he won in 2013.
"I've always felt it's the most nervous I am on a golf course is the first tee Thursday at the Masters," Scott said.
"It's the build-up. We haven't played a major since last summer. We all know how special this place is for golfers.
"It's the anticipation and nerves, and competitive nerves, and it's hard to get that under control even through the front nine.
"I've had years where I really struggled, especially if you get off to a little rough start, which is easy because I think they're the hardest holes on the course, the first six or seven and it can slip away from you quickly.
"So somehow you've got to get it under control and today I got off to a really great start, so that was nice.
"Any week you want to get off to a good start, but we just don't know what's going to happen and how the weather might affect the rest of the week.
"So if you're hanging around right from the start on a week like this, it's probably helpful."
