Mark Calcavecchia rolled back the years at Turnberry to set the clubhouse target at The 138th Open Championship.
Calcavecchia - who won this event 20 years ago - completed an opening round of 67, three under par, despite insisting the course was playing much harder now than when it last staged The Open in 1994.
"The fairways are narrower, there's a few more bunkers and I don't remember the rough being anywhere near this thick," he said.
"Any time you find the thick rough you're just chipping out. But I love this tournament. I tell people it's my favourite of the year to come to."
It did not look like Calcavecchia's clubhouse lead would last very long however, Tom Watson moving to four under with a birdie on the 12th and Australian John Senden also four under after a birdie on the 17th.
Senden was only a reserve when he flew into Turnberry from America on Tuesday morning, but quickly secured a place in the field when Jeev Milkha Singh was forced to withdraw.
Tiger Woods got his attempt to win a 15th Major title under way - but was being outplayed by partner Lee Westwood.
Woods opened with a par four on the first hole, allowing himself a wry smile after completely misreading his birdie putt from ten feet.
The World Number One then watched on as Westwood birdied his opening three holes, before the Englishman struggled in the rough at the par five seventh and dropped back to two under.
Unlikely early joint leader Watson, the 59 year old who won the famous ‘Duel in the Sun’ with Jack Nicklaus here back in 1977, had birdied the first from five feet.
The five time Open Champion then holed from 20 feet for a second on the third and saw another birdie putt on the next lip out.
Calcavecchia had practised with Woods earlier this week in preparation for being in the first group out at 6.30am - England’s Paul Broadhurst hitting the opening shot - and birdied the second, seventh and 11th with a bogey on the third.
Sergio Garcia got to two under in spectacular style, the Spaniard holing from 30 foot for an eagle on the seventh.
