Thrills and spills came in equal measure when Tiger Woods, Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke were finally able to face each other after a seven-hour rain delay in Heidelberg.
Despite the long hold-up, the chance to see the world number one battling head-to-head with the world number seven and world number nine was too good for thousands of German fans to miss on the opening day of the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open.
A camera clicking behind the 10th tee as Woods was about to start was a sign of things to come.
But although he bogeyed the hole it was the American star, introduced as "Masters champ Tiger Woods" despite the fact he also holds the Open, US Open and US PGA titles, who did best of the trio as they tried to complete their first rounds before nightfall.
Clarke double-bogeyed two of his first three holes and turned in a three-over 39, five more than Woods, while Montgomerie missed a putt of less than three feet on the 18th to begin for home on one over.
Not that Woods was on the leaderboard yet at two under.
Michael Campbell, the New Zealander whose climb back up the world rankings began with a victory over Woods at the 1999 Johnnie Walker Classic, raced to seven-under after 11 holes and was two in front of defending champion Lee Westwood and Londoner Daren Lee.
The delay meant that half the 156-strong field did not even get onto the St Leon Rot course where Woods won two years ago.
They will start their challenge for the massive stg£278,000 first prize in the morning, while Woods, Montgomerie and Clarke will do well to play nine holes since their rescheduled second round tee-off time is 5.50 p.m. local time. - PA