Rookie amateur Jasper Stubbs has virtually no hope after posting an eight-over 80 on debut to be propping up the field.

Big guns Cameron Smith, Jason Day, former champion Adam Scott and one-time PGA Tour winner Cam Davis were all still on the course after the start of the season-opening major was delayed by more than two hours because of an overnight downpour.

Davis was the best of the Aussies at two-under through 14 holes, one better than Scott and Smith, who struggled for luck in his ongoing recovery from food poisoning.

His birdie putt at the third failed to drop despite going straight over the hole, before he double-bogeyed the famous par-three 12th when his ball rolled back into the water after initially finding dry land.

Smith was one-under and tied for 17th through 16 holes.

Scott was steady as she goes early, following seven straight pars with a birdie at the par-five eighth.

Playing alongside five-time champion Tiger Woods, Day started well with a birdie on the second hole, only to double the next when his tee shot sailed over the green and into the trees.

Another par-three blunder on number six sent Day back to two-over after seven holes.

AAP