Two days after telling Jack Nicklaus that Augusta National had become too tough for him, 60 year old Tom Watson revived memories of last year's Open Championship with a brilliant start to the 2010 Masters Tournament.
And he was not alone in striking a blow for the golden oldies. Bernhard Langer, a mere 52, grabbed a share of the early lead too - long before most eyes turned, of course, to the return of Tiger Woods after a near five-month absence.
It was at the champions' dinner that Watson told record six-time winner Nicklaus: "It's just too long for me to compete here."
Last April Watson went out with a second round 83, his worst score in the tournament by five in a career going back to 1970.
Nicklaus, who himself joined Arnold Palmer as an honorary starter by hitting the ceremonial opening drives this morning, was having none it, though.
All too aware that Watson almost won at Turnberry last summer the Golden Bear commented: "I would never put it by him.
"It was like Trevino said he could never play well here and I said 'that's rubbish, you can play anywhere'. Just the same - you never know what Watson could do. He's still a very good, very good player."
Sure enough the 1977 and 1981 champion, who has not made the halfway cut for the last eight years, birdied the first and third and with seven to play was still two under.
Langer, who has not made it to the weekend himself since 2005, picked up strokes on the first, fifth and seventh to turn in 33, bogeyed the next two, but then grabbed another birdie on the 440 yard 14th.
They shared top spot at that point with six others - defending champion Angel Cabrera, last week's US PGA Tour winner Anthony Kim and his fellow Americans David Toms, Steve Marino and amateur Nathan Smith.
Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els - all amongst the favourites, of course - were going nicely at one under and alongside them was 16 year old Italian Matteo Manassero, the youngest player in Masters Tournament history thanks to his victory at the British Amateur last June.
The youngster kicked off with a 12 foot birdie putt - some three after his pushed drive hit a tree and left him having to go over another to reach the green.
Playing partner Westwood made his presence felt too by getting up and down from a bunker on the 575 yard second and making a 15 footer for another birdie at the next.
However, Westwood three-putted the fourth and bogeyed the next as well before coming back with another birdie.
There was a freshening wind and a storm was predicted for later in the day - probably when Woods was on the course - but there was some good scoring going on from the early starters.
As the crowd around the first hole began to swell in readiness for Woods' arrival Langer returned to three under at the short 16th, but then bogeyed the final two holes and had to settle for a 71.
It put him two behind Cabrera, Marino and also David Toms, the former US PGA Championship winner scoring four birdies in five holes from the 12th before also dropping a shot at the last to set the new clubhouse target at 69.
Watson, Els and Westwood were all two under, Westwood after also making a two on the 12th, and then Watson made it a four-way tie at the top with another birdie at the long 15th.
