Adam Scott insists he wasn't surprised to do so well using a short putter for the first time in four years and 82 tournaments.
Preparing for the end-of-year ban on anchored putting strokes, former world No.1 Scott ditched the trusty broomstick blade that brought so much success and shot a two-under-par 70 to be tied eighth after the first round of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.
Making his first start of the year, the new father was eight shots behind runaway leader JB Holmes but well satisfied with his effort on the tough Blue Monster course in blustery conditions at the Trump Doral resort in Florida.
The 2013 Masters champion's effort was in marked contrast to that of playing partner, countryman and world No.4 Jason Day who had a shocker, dumping four balls in the water on the way to a 76.
The most impressive part of Scott's performance was his putting as he finished ranked fourth in the category across the 74-man field.
Using a "claw' grip, Scott made five birdie putts of 18, 17, 15, 13 and seven feet in his round and missed just one putt out of 17 from inside 15-feet all day.
"I putted really good today," said Scott.
"Not that I'm surprised but I'm pleased that it was good."
"It really isn't that big a deal. It just takes a little while to adjust and change a couple muscle memory things that happened in different styles of putting."
" It felt a lot like when I switched to the longer putter. It was a really different, fresh feel.
"Hopefully some improvement to come but I'm trying not to clutter my head with too much thought."
Recent winner Day's 76 was just his second over-par round of the year and worst effort since a 77 in the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am in February 2014.
Day headed immediately to the range to work out the kinks after his first round with three double bogeys since a blowout 80 in the 2012 US PGA Championship.
Holmes defied the conditions with a 10-under-62, opening up a four-shot buffer to fellow American Ryan Moore (66).
Frenchman Alexander Levy and Americans Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson share third just a few shots clear of Scott at four-under.
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