Padraig Harrington's inevitable rustiness after a four-week lay-off caught up with him and two bogeys in his last three holes meant he had to settle for a first-round 70, two-under-par in the Malaysian Open.
That was three shots off the early pace set by Holland's Maarten Lafeber who carded a fine 67 in the sweltering conditions, with Masters champion Vijay Singh a stroke back after an opening 68. The 29-year-old Dubliner made a point of playing down his chances in the build-up to the £700,000 sterling event, only his second tournament of the season.
Indeed, for a long time it looked as though he was being overly pessimistic as he stood at four-under-par with three holes to play - just one shot off the lead.
"It is not a bad start and I would probably have taken it before the start but I was five under through 10 and that was easily the worst I could have been," said Harrington.
The golfer spent four weeks practicing at home and in Scotland with coach Bob Torrance after losing in the first round of the World Matchplay in Melbourne. PA