New Zealand's Gareth Paddison and Michael Campbell were the leading Australasians after the opening round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles but the day was more notable for an outburst from Lee Westwood.
In a withering attack Westwood called for the greens on the 2014 Ryder Cup course at Gleneagles to be ripped up.
The former European No.1 had just opened the tournament, the final qualifying event for next month's Ryder Cup match against the Americans, with a one-under 72.
With Frenchman Gregory Havret setting the pace with a 68 - he leads by two - Westwood's effort has far from ruined his hopes of victory on Sunday.
But, already safely into Nick Faldo's side himself, he feels sympathy for those still battling for inclusion and having to do so on what he clearly considers greens from Hell.
Paddison was also at one-under, while former US Open champion Campbell shot even-par.
Matthew Millar was the leading Australian at one-over, six shots off the pace, while Peter Fowler and Marcus Fraser both carded two-over 75s.
Westwood, though, was far from pleased with the Scotland course.
"I said last year that the greens were awful and something needed to be done," he stated after a round which included a four-putt double bogey at the 461-yard fifth.
The second of those was from less than two feet and he added: "I'm not a bad putter and I can't remember the last time I three-putted from 18 inches."
"At the end of the week unfortunately the tournament could be won or lost by luck on the greens."
And so, of course, could somebody's Ryder Cup fate.
"They are the people I feel really sorry for. There is a lot riding on that," Westwood said.
"They are going to be feeling pressure as it is and you don't want to be standing over a three-footer with so much doubt in your mind not knowing if the ball is going to run straight."
Heavy recent rain has softened the surfaces, but he added: "You can't bring the Ryder Cup onto greens like this. Hopefully they will rip them up and re-do them."
"Hopefully they won't use the same designer who had two goes at doing the seventh. I think my kids could come up with a better design than that in one afternoon."
Playing with Westwood was Mansfield's Oliver Wilson, in the 10th and last automatic qualifying spot entering the week and under threat from Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty.
Wilson, also double-bogeying the fifth, managed only a three-over 76, but so did Kaymer after losing a ball at the 320-yard 14th and taking six there.
Fisher did better with a 72, but he has to finish third to have a chance, while Dougherty, who needs first or second place, battled away for a 73.
"Must do better," Wilson commented. "The greens are not overly smooth, but I felt I was a little bit unlucky - every time I hit it in the rough I got a bad lie."
"I don't think I've blown myself out of it. I could have done, but I didn't."
Dougherty, who like Kaymer has had the trauma of losing his mother in the past few months, admits he is mentally exhausted.
"Even if someone has to cart me into the car on Sunday and I've done all I can I can be pleased and proud of myself."
Justin Rose and