Hopes for a seventh Aussie victory at the famed Stadium Course were struck an early blow when 2016 champion Jason Day was forced to withdraw with a stomach complaint without hitting a shot.

As he did two years ago on debut, Lee on the other hand showed that he has the stomach for one of golf’s most exacting tests with a fine 5-under 67.

He trails American pair Lucas Glover and JJ Spaun and Colombian Camilo Villegas by one stroke yet it took an escape act Houdini would have been proud of not to drop further behind.

Five-under through nine holes, the 24-year-old was even par for the back when he hit his tee shot way right at the par-4 18th after taking 2-iron.

“Oh my god, what is that,” he lamented.

He then proceeded to bounce his shot from the rough right of the pine straw onto the cart path where it bounced four times before coming to rest in the pine straw just right of the fairway.

As only very few can, Lee then fashioned a punch shot that ran up onto the green and came to rest 22 feet behind the hole less than 10 feet from the water, his par putt falling in on the right edge for a less-than-regulation par.

“Managed to produce the worst swing of the day about 40 yards right of where I wanted to hit it,” Lee said of his tee shot.

“I was just very happy to have a par putt. I literally had no shot.

“That third shot could have easily gone in the water had I just pulled it but used a bit of magic and tried to cut up a pitching wedge out of the pine straw, and it was absolutely perfect.”

Two years ago, Lee played his way into the final group alongside eventual champion Scottie Scheffler as a way of announcing his arrival to the American crowds.

While it may have failed him on the final hole, Lee loves the creativity the Pete Dye layout demands from tee to green.

“I just love this course. It just suits so well,” said Lee, who was tied sixth in 2023 and tied 54th last year.

“I just love playing shots off tees and not hitting driver everywhere. Driver is a weapon of mine, but I love hitting that 2-iron everywhere, and if it’s a little firm, it kind of plays into my hands.

“I just love playing this course.”

A week after his win at the Puerto Rico Open that secured his debut at THE PLAYERS, Karl Vilips is the only other Australian par or better after day one, signing for an even par 72 despite a late double bogey at the par-4 sixth and bogeys at eight and nine.

In his 23rd appearance, Adam Scott dropped shots late at 14, 16 and 18 in his round of 2-over 74 while Cam Davis had just the one birdie at the par-5 16th in his round of 4-over 76.