Organizers of the Australian Masters had their hearts in their mouths on Thursday when the world's No.2-ranked golfer, and tournament drawcard, Adam Scott got off to a horror start to his opening round.

Scott, who won the Masters last year, was three over par after his first nine holes at Melbourne's Metropolitan Golf Club, putting his title defence in jeopardy.

The Queenslander struggled to cope with the strong northerly winds, especially on the fast greens, and took a double-bogey on the 434-meter par-4 18th hole (his ninth) after finding the sand with both his tee and approach shots.

At that moment, he was eight shots from the lead and giving tournament officials, who were banking on a strong Scott showing over the weekend, heart palpitations.

But the world No. 2 slowly found some form over his closing holes, making a brilliant eagle at the sixth (his 15th) to help him recover to a one-over-par round of 73.

Still, that left Scott trailing the early leaders, Queenslander Michael Wright and local boy Stephen Allan, by six shots.

Scott later said he missed four birdie putts and found more than a few bunkers at the fabled sandbelt layout, thanks to gusting 40kmh winds from the north.

"The strong northerly from the get-go was always going to make it tough," said Scott, who admitted he had played the course only a 'handful of times'.

"I didn't have the eye in from the start," said Scott. "Momentum is a big thing and tomorrow I'll be needing it right from the start.

"It was pretty good, I guess, overall but I didn't take any of my chances today. I didn' t make anything."

The 2006 US Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy, who grew up down the road in suburban Cheltenham, also began from the 10th hole but was unfazed by the conditions and made five birdies in his three-under round of 69.

Zac Blair was the first American under par, entering the clubhouse at two-under.

All will be chasing the joint leaders, world No. 771 Wright and No.655 Allan, who both shot 65 to find themselves in the unaccustomed position atop a tournament leaderboard.