It was Graeme Storm and Edoardo Molinari who shone as The Barclays Scottish Open began in windy conditions at Loch Lomond.
Storm, who started with a 65 last year, scored one worse than that, but it was good enough to join Italian Molinari as the early leader.
They were one ahead of Scot Stephen Gallacher, while Storm's fellow Englishman David Horsey, winner of the BMW International Open two weeks ago, was in the group two behind following a 68.
Graeme McDowell had said on the eve of the event that he will never get sick of being introduced as the US Open champion, but it did not happen this morning.
The official starter opted merely for: "On the tee, from Northern Ireland, Graeme McDowell."
The 30 year old did, however, walk off the tee arm-in-arm with one of his playing partners.
Miguel Angel Jiménez won the Alstom Open de France on Sunday, so they had plenty to celebrate and chat about between them.
McDowell had warned people not to expect great things from him this week and the dropped shots on the second, fifth and sixth after he had turned in 35 suggested some mental tiredness.
Molinari is the older brother of Francesco, who lost a play-off to Jiménez in Paris at the weekend, and they are both battling for a Ryder Cup debut at The Celtic Manor Resort in October.
Francesco stands eighth, while Edoardo, who had a runners-up finish in the States in March, is 11th on the world points list from which the first four in Colin Montgomerie's side will come.
Masters Tournament champion Phil Mickelson, who can replace Tiger Woods as World Number One with a top two finish on Sunday, was among the later starters.
McDowell finished on a high with birdie putts of 20 and three feet for a level par 71.
"It was a bit of a mixed bag," he said. "A few good swings in there, a few champagne ones and a few careless ones, but generally I'm pretty happy and a birdie-birdie finish is always nice.
"I didn't feel the most prepared ever, but I've had to let myself off the hook and go with the flow. I have to keep my expectation levels low because there's not been a lot of practice going on, but it should improve as the week goes on."
The biggest "champagne shot" was a fat eight iron on the short fifth. The hole is 190 yards and he only just carried a ditch 50 yards short.
"I completely laid sod over it," he joked. "And on the next I semi-knifed a lob wedge."
Mickelson set off with five pars in a row, but 1995 Open Championship winner John Daly - he will be back at St Andrews next week - birdied the second and third.
Molinari and Storm were finally joined just before 5pm - by Molinari's brother, who turned in 33 and then birdied the 13th and 14th.
Playing partner Daly matched both of those and was only one behind, as was Darren Clarke after his front nine 32, while Mickelson was one under with six to play.
