It has been a rough start for the Australian contingent at the KLM Open in Holland as Peter Fowler, Matthew Millar and Peter O'Malley all found themselves seven shots adrift of leader Rolf Muntz on one-over after the opening round.
In fact Marcus Fraser was worse off than the aforementioned trio as he ended the first day eight shots off the pace after he carded a two-over-par 72.
Fowler started on the back nine and soon found himself two-over the card after just five holes thanks largely to a double-bogey at the 13th. However, the front nine was a little kinder to him as he managed birdies at the 2nd and 5th before bogeying the 8th.
Millar's four birdies were offset by three bogeys and a double-bogey at the 8th while O'Malley had the most eventful day of the Aussies, parring only eight holes as he helped himself to five birdies before conceding four bogeys and a double-bogey as well.
Meanwhile, Justin Rose has taken another step towards winning his first Ryder Cup cap - but only after a night when he wondered if he was ever going to get to sleep.
Although Dutchman Muntz was the star of the first round with a six-under-par 64, Rose is among those chasing him hard.
Having pulled out of the FedEx Cup first leg in America to try to clinch his debut, the world number 12 had a bogey-free 67.
"Now I'm looking forward to an afternoon nap," said Rose, joint ninth at the US PGA two weeks ago.
"It must have been three o'clock when I got to sleep - I had a coffee at dinner and there must have been rocket fuel in it."
"I wasn't as rested as I would have liked, but I got away with it. I didn't play particularly well, but I guess I managed it well."
"When you are a pro you learn how to make the most of your game when you are not tip-top."
"I'm really pleased - I knew coming here that there would be a lot of attention on the Ryder Cup, but I just had to try to get into the mindset of playing tournament golf."
Starting on the back nine he birdied the 11th, fourth and sixth and during monsoon-like conditions over the closing stretch scrambled brilliantly to avoid losing ground.
Former British amateur champion Muntz, no longer a European Tour card holder and forced to qualify for the event, was in the first group out and avoided the worst of the weather.
He still had to capitalise, of course, but did with six birdies and commented: "It's awesome playing in front of your home crowd and it was a gorgeous round - the kind you plan on paper and it actually works out."
Rose lies eighth on the Ryder Cup table and therefore needs to avoid three players going past him by the end of next week.
The only one of the leading candidates to score better than him was Dane Soren Hansen, currently in the 10th and last automatic spot a mere 213 pounds ($AU 454) ahead of German Martin Kaymer.
Hansen, who made a late decision to enter the tournament because of the cup situation, hit back from a double-bogey on the ninth with what he called a 'spectacular' inward 30 and shares second place with England's John Bickerton.
Oliver Wilson, lying ninth in