BY BRENDAN JAMES AT METROPOLITAN GC

There is a four-way tie at the top of the BetEasy Australian Masters leaderboard after the opening round, and the one name surprisingly missing is that of World No.2 Adam Scott.

Scott struggled in the windy conditions to card a one over 73 to be tied 51st after 18 holes and six shots adrift of the leading foursome all at five under.

To read more about Adam Scott’s opening round, click here

Journeyman Queensland pro Michael Wright, former Australian Open Champion Stephen Allan, US PGA Tour winner Steven Bowditch and big-hitting amateur sensation Todd Sinnott all lead the charge for the gold jacket at five under.

Steven Bowditch smiles after holing a putt for eagle during his opening round. PHOTO: Getty Images. Steven Bowditch smiles after holing a putt for eagle during his opening round. PHOTO: Getty Images.

While the morning field was almost blown away by strong northerly winds, Bowditch and Sinnott, playing partners in the afternoon, had to deal with flukey winds that chopped and changed direction and strength on every hole.

Bowditch, who broke through for his first PGA Tour win back in March, was up to the challenge though, hitting 16 out of 18 greens in regulation that netted him four birdies and an eagle for his 67.

“I hit some good shots early but I didn’t capitalise on them,” Bowditch said. “Then hit it on the 6th, the par-5, made eagle there and the round got moving a little bit. Started to get some momentum there.

“I sort of skanked it around all day. I didn’t hit it where I wanted to hit it a lot of times. Never got in trouble but I hit 16 greens, that’s what you’ve really got to do out there, and especially on the Sandbelt in these conditions.”

The Queenslander could have had the outright lead with a par at his final hole but a hooked drive resulted in a bogey finish.

Bowditch, who as a 17-year-old smashed his drives passed Greg Norman in an Australian Open, was full of praise for his playing partner and co-leader Todd Sinnott, similarly a long-bomber.

Todd Sinnott hits his approach into the 17th green. PHOTO: Getty Images Todd Sinnott hits his approach into the 17th green. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I’m not long at all compared to this kid,” Bowditch laughed. “He hit it so far. I haven’t seen someone hit it like that in a long time, and he can play, too.

“There’s a lot of young kids out there that can all hit it a mile, but sort of struggle to control their golf ball and just hit driver everywhere.

“He can play the game and use his power to his advantage. This course, unfortunately, you can’t really let it unleash a lot of the time. Todd’s an impressive player … he’s going to go places.”

Sinnott, who finished third last month at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne and had a top-10 at the Federal Amateur in Canberra a few weeks back, has been working on a game plan for this tournament.

“My coach (Marty Joyce) and I, my coach is my caddie, we came up with a plan to keep the ball in play, not do anything stupid,” said Sinnott, who is one of the longest hitters in this field and a member of the Metropolitan Golf Club pennant team.

“As soon as you pull driver out, you can hit it in the trees. Even if you’re hitting driver, one off, you can make double. So that was the plan for the day and it went it all right.

“When I play with my mates, I tend to hit driver on every hole, so I had a more serious game plan today.”

The 22-year-old used his driver twice in the round, on the 6th and 14th holes, which are both par-5s.

Earlier in the day, Queensland journeyman Michael Wright and 2002 Australian Open Champion Stephen Allan emerged unscathed from the blustery morning round, setting the clubhouse mark at five under 67.

Michael Wright surveys a recovery shot during this round of 67. PHOTO: Getty Images Michael Wright surveys a recovery shot during this round of 67. PHOTO: Getty Images

With winds topping out at 60km/h, both men took full advantage of high quality iron shots in trying conditions by converting most of their close range birdie chances.

Wright, whose biggest career wins include the 2011 West Australian PGA and the 2005 NSW Open, holed a bunker shot for birdie on the 9th hole and had just 26 putts in his round. Considering he was hitting approach shots from the rough most of the day, it is little wonder he was smiling like a Cheshire Cat when he fronted the press after his round. After all his 67 could easily have been a 73, 74 or 75 in the conditions.

“Oh, I liken it to the wild west,” Wright said. “Yeah, it was brutal.

“In parts, there were times that it actually wasn't that difficult on the downwind holes, but you turn around into the wind and it just becomes a beast.

“Even the downwind holes, now that I think of it, weren't easy because the wind sort of knocked the ball out of the sky and with the greens so firm, it was difficult to keep it close to the hole.

“Yeah, looking back, it actually suits me.”

Which begs the question … “Would you like it to blow for the next three days?”

“Please … yeah!” he replied. “I hit the ball underground (low) so if it blows like this … the greens are going to be that hard and fast…it’s going to be extremely difficult. But that’s Australian golf and that’s why it’s so good.”

Wright, 40, has been playing the game long enough now to know first round leaders come and go and are often unsighted when the oversized cheque is handed over on Sunday afternoon, which is why he won’t be changing any part of his game plan over the next three days.

“I didn't get into this position out of luck,” he said. “I got into this position just following the processes.

“I know that's a cliché, but it's what we are trying to do, just stay in the moment, do the same thing over and over. For me, it’s not get too busy in the head. If I do that, then I will be in position on Sunday.”

Conversely, Allan knows what it takes to win one of Australia’s triple-crown events in the Sandbelt and to contend under trying conditions.

Of course, he won the shortened Open at nearby Victoria Golf Club and was well in the hunt at the wind-affected Open at NSW Golf Club in 2009 and several Australian PGA’s played on the same course in the late 90s.

“If you're on top of your game, the wind is I think an advantage,” Allan said. “When you're struggling, you get those shots that they are not that bad and all of the sudden the wind takes it and they look terrible.

“Yeah, I would probably prefer it to be windy.”

Allan’s form on the US Web.com Tour this year has been steady but was not quite good enough to force his way back on to the PGA Tour.

It wasn't great but I played well a few times but not quite well enough to get back on the PGA Tour.  Considering the two seasons previous to that where I really didn't do very well, it was a good sign.  I was headed in the right direction.

“I felt like my swing was more like the things that were wrong with my swing were the same things when I played well,” he said.

“So, it was kind of back to the swing that I had had and I felt more comfortable with what I was working on.  So things have been trending in the right direction.”

Geoff Ogilvy plays a bunker escape during his first round 69. The Sandbelt expert is well poised for a run at his first Gold Jacket. PHOTO: Getty Images. Geoff Ogilvy plays a bunker escape during his first round 69. The Sandbelt expert is well poised for a run at his first Gold Jacket. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Sitting one stroke back of the leaders is New South Wales duo Rhein Gibson and Aron Price. There is a group of five players a further stroke back at three under including two-time Australian Masters Champion Peter Lonard and 2006 US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy. American Kyle Stanley joined the group late in the afternoon after holding the lead after holes.

For the full leaderboard, click here