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The world number seven is the top-ranked player in the field at Kungsangen - compatriot Mark Hensby next in the rankings at 34th - and had no problem being favourite to regain the title he won in Malmo in 2003.
"I'm fine with that," said Scott. "I am not coming here just to warm up and get ready for the USPGA. I am here to win the golf tournament like any other week and I expect if I play my best golf I should win this week.
"I've had a good record in Sweden, I've never finished worse than eighth in four starts and won once."
However the Australian got off to a slow start in the first round in Stockholm today, dropping a shot on the 10th, his opening hole, and remaining one over par after five holes.
That left him already six shots off the pace being set by Zimbabwe's Marc Cayeux, who was in the first group out at 7.30am local time and raced to the turn in 31 with three birdies and an eagle.
Playing partner Mattias Eliasson was a shot behind after five birdies and a bogey in his first 10 holes, with England's Barry Lane among a group a stroke further back on three under.
Sweden's Niclas Fasth, winner of the Deutsche Bank championship in Hamburg on Sunday, continued his good form with birdies at his first two holes to lie two under.
Yesterday's pre-tournament pro-am was cancelled after 180mm of rain fell on the course over the last few days, but play began on schedule this morning.
Scott, winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic in Beijing earlier this season, got back to level par with a birdie on the 16th, one of the holes on the course not reduced in length due to the wet conditions.
The tees on the ninth, 10th, 11th, 13th and 15th had been moved forward by a total of 386 yards in order to find dry landing areas for the tee shots.
Despite that birdie Scott was still six shots behind Cayeux who had picked up another birdie on the 11th, while Fasth was just two behind after birdies on the 15th and 17th.
Scott's struggles continued as he bogeyed the second to drop back to one over par, a massive eight shots adrift of Cayeux, who was now seven under with two to play.
Fasth's bid for back-to-back victories suffered a huge blow on the third however, the former Ryder Cup player running up a triple bogey seven.
After duffing his approach to the short par four, Fasth played a clumsy third shot 20ft past the flag before four-putting, missing his third putt from a matter of inches. |
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