Lee Westwood carded five birdies in his final six holes to move into contention for a maiden major on the opening day of the Masters.
The Englishman reached the turn in three-over and begun the back nine with three straight pars before the fireworks began on 13.
Five consecutive birdies saw him reach the 18th at two-under and a par down the last has him five shots off the lead held by Charley Hoffmann after his stunning 65.
Aged 43 and chasing his first major title after several near misses, including two runner-up finishes at Augusta, Westwood admitted patience is the key.
"I didn't putt very well on the front nine, I missed a few short ones at seven and nine," he said.
"I made a couple of putts on the back nine but nothing too different - it was just a case of being patient and not being too frustrated at being three-over on the front nine.
"Anything can happen so it's about not panicking - don't be aggressive when you don't need to be.
"I didn't get too aggressive at 11 or 12, it was about waiting for something to happen and at 13 I rolled one in down the hill from 18 feet and then I got on a roll."
Meanwhile, Danny Willett carded an opening round 73, battling back from a wayward start to begin the defence of his Masters title in solid fashion despite a three-putt bogey at the last.
Willett had opened up with a double bogey at the first and a bogey at the second before birdies at three and 10 saw him gain momentum around the turn.
Having handed a shot back at 11, the defending champion recorded a tremendous eagle at 13 to be in with a chance of finishing under par until his three-putt at the last, but all things considered the 29-year-old was pleased with efforts.
"We gathered ourselves pretty well after probably the worst start we could have asked for," said Willett.
"Battling back, even if it was flat and calm around this place, would have been to shoot two under from then on in - especially in the conditions.
"It was nice to battle back and hit some good golf shots and it was a shame about the last but a 73 is not going to be too far away from the cluster of players at one-under so it seems like a really good score.
"To be anywhere as defending champion is incredible but here with all the patrons and the traditions, it is an amazing place to do that - it would be nice to do it a few more times.
"It's a shame the weather played its part and people were being blown about but it's been a great day coming back here.
"Come Thursday morning when the spikes are on, it's game time and you walk up the spiral staircase and turn left into the champions locker room, and then walk out onto the balcony and look back down Magnolia Lane.
"To be able to do that this week and forever - it was very special."
On a good day for the Englishmen, Justin Rose was not too disappointed with his one-under-par round despite a couple of bogies in the final three holes dropping him out of early contention for the first-round lead.
The 2013 US Open champion felt conditions meant an under-par round was always going to be successful, particularly after his birdie at the 18th.
"It was certainly very, very tough out there. I haven't played this course in a heavy wind like this before, or certainly nothing this heavy and there's no respite out there, even simple tap‑ins aren't simple.
"The first 12 holes I didn't miss a shot tee to green, but just making putts I found incredibly difficult. When the greens are this fast, the wind has a significant affect on them.
"I managed to get the putting going a little bit and made some good putts around the turn. I bogeyed 16, 17 and it's disappointing to throw away a good round, but I knew it was a good round.
"I was playing the 18th hole, still in good spirits, and I realised that if I could make a birdie, I was tying the low score of the day posted in the clubhouse."
Matt Fitzpatrick was another to reflect on what might have been as a double bogey on the 18th dropped him out of a share of the lead on just his third Masters appearance.
The 22-year-old tied for 7th last year having missed the cut as an amateur in 2014 and was well placed at three-under as he stood on the 18th tee, but a poor tee shot was to cost him dear.
"I just didn't really feel comfortable over the tee shot," he said
"My low one's lower than everyone else's, so I didn't feel comfortable with people sort of poking their head round. I should have backed off it and got everyone to move - I'll do that the rest of the week.
"Thomas Pieters had it going early, but it sort of went away on the back but I think that's the thing around here, you have just got to be so patient and every shot you've got to think about how you're hitting it and how far you're hitting it and you have got to always be switched on.
"It's easy to place yourself out of it on a day like today. You come in with a 78 or 79 and before you know it you're battling to make the cut and compete, so it was good."
Andy Sullivan is also among the massed ranks at one under par, and admitted he was pleased with his efforts comparing the testing Georgia conditions to those of an Open Championship.
The 30-year-old from Nuneaton missed the cut on his debut last year, but is well placed after an impressive opening round that included a birdie at the last, that owed much to his need to use the little boy's room.
"I felt like I played well enough to shoot under par and it just felt like it capped the day off there to hole one in the last," he said.
"To be honest, going up there I needed a pee so bad. I was literally trying to run up the hill. My stomach was bursting. Scotty was over a four footer and I was like, 'C'mon Scotty, hurry up'."
"I'm just happy to get a round in under par, especially after last year, that was probably the most nervous I've ever been on the golf course.
"Coming out this year and actually feeling normal again and going out there and playing golf again. It's a nice feeling to have.
"It's brutal out there. It's more like an Open Championship today more than anything else. Adam [Scott] had a putt on 17 and it is straight down hill and it almost blew back up the hill. It's so difficult to judge what's going to happen, you've got to sort of try and guess when the gusts are going to come, and try and hit it after it or before it.
"I've been swinging it really well, played well last week, and coming in here with a lot of confidence I think the wind helped me out a bit in the sense of I couldn't be as aggressive as I would have liked to have been."