Tiger Woods and David Duval must avoid another self-inflicted wound as they attempt to get back into contention for the EMC World Cup in Japan.
The defending champions could only manage a six-under-par 66 in the opening round of fourballs and ended the day four shots off the lead held by Scotland, Sweden and Canada in the €2 million 24-team event. The curiously subdued pair's cause was not helped by picking up a careless penalty after Duval had taken an illegal practice putt on the 16th green.
The Open champion was penalised two shots on the following hole, turning his birdie two into a bogey four, but fortunately for the American team tournament officials were able to alert Woods to the situation before he picked up his ball on the green.
The world number one thought he could do no better than Duval's birdie, but after the penalty was given, his putt for par, which he holed, suddenly became vital.
Ireland's Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington settled for an eight-under-par 64, McGinley conjuring up a superb up and down for birdie on the last after his approach to the par five had ended up nestling behind a spectator's handbag.
The Australian team of Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley were not so lucky as the Americans. Scott made a birdie three on the first but after missing his putt, Baddeley illegally retook it and was therefore liable for the same two-shot penalty as Duval.
However, they were not aware the penalty applied on the par-four second until later in the round, and Baddeley's birdie three on the second became a bogey five.
Scott could have rendered the penalty - an individual one rather than for the team - irrelevant by holing his own birdie putt from three feet but had picked up his ball thinking his partner had already secured the birdie. That cost the Australians a share of sixth place.
Scotland's Dean Robertson combined superbly with Andrew Coltart to card a 10-under-par 62 to claim a share of the first-round lead with playing partners Sweden and surprise package Canada.
Spain, inspired by an eight-birdie burst from Sergio Garcia playing alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez, and the New Zealand pairing of Michael Campbell and David Smail were a shot off the lead after 63s.The Swedish pairing of Robert Karlsson and Niclas Fasth eagled the last, courtesy of Karlsson, who had also eagled the sixth.
England's Ian Poulter and partner Paul Casey, named European Tour rookie of the year on Monday, finished with a seven-under-par 65.The Welsh pairing of Phillip Price and Mark Mouland had to settle for a 66 after racing to the turn in 30 but managed only a level-par back nine. The Canadian team of Mike Weir and Ian Leggatt in contrast covering the same stretch in just 29 strokes.
