Sydney, November 26

Unheralded local Lincoln Tighe upstaged a field including world No 1 Jordan Spieth and a string of major winners after swirling winds wreaked havoc on the opening round of the Australian Open on Thursday.

The big-hitting 26-year-old, so lowly-ranked he was denied a spot in Wednesday’s pro-am, carded a five-under 66 early in the day and only Matt Jones, a member of the host Australian Golf Club, was able to come close in the afternoon with a 67.

Defending champion Spieth broke even with a 71, which left him with a share of 19th on a day when only 18 players finished below par.

Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy coped better with the shifting wind and sweltering heat than most of the more feted golfers, recording a 68 for a share of third with Taiwanese amateur Yu Chun-An and compatriot Todd Sinnott.

Spieth, playing with Ogilvy and former world No 1 Lee Westwood (70), admitted his uncertainty over how to deal with the wind had led him into a “brain fart” in his club selection at the final hole, which he bogeyed.

Spieth mixed three birdies with three bogeys playing what he admitted was “pretty boring golf” but it would have been hard to beat the 71 put together by Adam Scott.