If it wasn’t quite a red-letter day for Australia, it must have been a pretty damn dark shade of pink at Augusta National.  

And capping a great start for the green and gold contingent was giving as much entertainment off the course as on as the six Pros — and one impressive young amateur – put a smile on the face of world golf.

As has become customary, it was spiritual leader Adam Scott who led the charge.

The Queenslander is superbly placed just one off the lead after his opening-round 69, the first sub-70 round by a defending champion since Vijay Singh shot the same number in 2001.

And it could have been even better bar a rare occasion when Scott’s emotions got the better of him.

"I received the most incredible ovation at the 12th tee and maybe got caught up in it a bit," Scott said.

His only real blemish came when he dipped his tee shot into Rae’s Creek after his on-course coronation at the heart of the course, Amen Corner.

Scott was leader by two at 4-under when he chunked a 9-iron into the drink, and the subsequent double-bogey ultimately ceded a one-shot lead to American Bill Haas.

Scott was blown away by the crowd reaction throughout his round, his first as part of Masters folklore.

"It was a thrill, really. The reception into every green and almost every tee box was incredible, and the best one, the memory that will stick with me forever was walking up to the 12th tee and everyone getting out of their seats as I approached.

"It was great. The level of respect that everyone has for this golf tournament and what happens here, but then I went and hit it in the water," he said with a laugh.

"But I was very happy with the way I played today (from) tee to green. It was really how you hope to come out and play at any major, and especially the Masters. I was really solid.

"I’m very pleased to get off to a good start and there’s no doubt winning the Masters last year had me a little more comfortable on the first tee than I’ve ever been in the past, because I didn’t have the legs shaking and nerves jangling for six or seven holes like usual, so that was enjoyable."

Scott looked a little shaky off the first tee when he carved his drive right of the fairway traps.

But after he caught a break by landing on the grass between the sand and trees, he played a shot befitting a champion to inside 1m for an opening three.

Despite a few more birdie attempts sliding by, he cashed in again on the sixth, eighth and 10th to cruise past the field before his key error.

He then made three-putt pars on both back-nine par-fives that might have spared the field from having a runaway leader.

"I’m not going to complain about my round … but I would have maybe accepted one and a two putt on the other.

"But more importantly (I made a) par save (from behind) 18 (green).

"I felt like I played good enough to shoot in the 60s today, so that was a nice way to end the day and not walk off shooting 70."

And with the serenity of man who feels like he truly belongs at the top of the world’s most anticipated event, Scott said the he felt free of the pressure that dogs those without major championships to their name.

"Having won last year, in some ways, has taken a little pressure off me as I teed up today and kind of felt like what was the worst that can happen; I’m still going to be a Masters champion," he beamed to much mirth in his press conference.

"But getting off to a good start in majors is huge, because I think they are the hardest tournaments to kind of chase (a lead).

"Birdies aren’t that easy to come by usually at majors, and if you’re six back, five back, 10 back after the first round, it’s a hard three days in front of you to peg it back.

"You almost have to play flawless. So to get off to a good start is key."

"I felt confident coming in — I’ve been swinging well … so I fully expected to play a solid round of golf."

At the other end of the Aussie contingent, but no less impressive in front of the world’s press, was 2012 WA Open champion Oliver Goss, who is join low amateur after a 74.

"I had a little thought this morning: every other tournament you play, you try to play like you’re in the Masters; but for the Masters you try and treat it like just another tournament," he said with the air of a seasoned veteran rather than a lad who’s not 20 until Saturday.

"Everything that happened today helped me for tomorrow — I learned from my mistakes early today and I’ll play well tomorrow."

Another who has learned from past mistakes is Marc Leishman, who again impressed with a birdie on the last to finish at two-under-par 70.

Leishman, too, had the media giggling when he joked about not wanting to even joke about having Augusta National’s measure after his opening 66 last year set him up to ultimately run fourth.

"I’m never, ever going to say that," he said with a broad smile.

"Because I know as soon as I say that, that’s when I’m going to have a heap."

"But I was definitely a lot less nervous on the first tee than I was last year.

"I’ve just got more good memories to draw on if I do hit a bad shot. I’ll get to a hole and think I hit a good shot here last year."

Jason Day said he had no pain from his injured left thumb, but more from an ice-cold putter after his 32 shots with the flat stick left him with an unflattering 75.

"I’ve just got to kind of work out the kinks with the putter," the world No.4 said.

"One of the main reasons I didn’t putt that great, usually I can see the ball going into the hole, but it was a bit of a struggle seeing my lines.

"That’s just golf. Some days you have it. Some days you don’t."

John Senden went three shots better than his fellow Queenslander in shooting a 72 that proved, he said, that he was feeling more comfortable in the challenging surrounds, especially after his recent win in Tampa.

"The confidence I’ve had with the results this year I believe and last year’s result here and just being on this course one more time and getting more experience here is the difference," Senden said.

"Getting to know it more, I practised well yesterday and I felt good on the golf course with `Scotty’ on Tuesday and just been enjoying myself this week and I have to continue to do that to have good results."

Both Steve Bowditch and Matt Jones signed for 74s that were achieved after markedly different rides.

Bowditch battled early but made some nice saving putts until he called a penalty on himself for slightly nudging his ball while moving pine needles on the side of the ninth hole.

The Queenslander looked like he might collapse with bogeys on 10 and 12 soon afterwards, but typical of his fighting spirit, a birdie on 15 enabled a respectable finish that left him looking upwards.

"When you do something like that (penalty) and get away with a bogey after where I hit my third to get it up and down was good.

"It was nearly a momentum swing – if I’d made a double-(bogey) then it would have maybe got to me, but I holed a nice little six-footer down the slope … and kept the round going."

Jones said he was dog tired after his manic week following the Houston Open win on Sunday.

But he loved his first round that included an eagle on the 13th for his second chunk of Augusta National crystal in two days following his ace in the par-three contest on Wednesday.

"I didn’t know about the crystal until my caddie (Aussie Scott McGuiness) told me. It’s pretty cool," he said.

Jones said it was "the most nervous I’ve been for a long, long time on a golf course" over his opening tee shot.

But he settled down into his round well with birdies on the seventh and 16th among his six bogeys.

"I think I learnt a lot about the course … hopefully those lessons can come into play tomorrow and I can get a couple more on the weekend."