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Adam Scott was so charged after his vintage performance at the US PGA Championship he nearly entered a tournament before this week's FedEx Cup playoffs opener.
Scott avoided temptation, but picked up exactly where he left off with a solid opening round at the Northern Trust in New Jersey - the first tournament of the $US67 million finals series.
Scott and fellow Queenslander Cameron Smith posted a two-under-par 69 at Ridgewood Country Club to sit three shots adrift of first-round leaders Kevin Tway, Jamie Lovemark, Vaughn Taylor and Sean O'Hair (66).
One shot back in a share of fifth at four under is a logjam of players including world No.1 Dustin Johnson, US Open champion Brooks Koepka and Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama (all 67).
Scott played in the final group at the PGA Championship two weeks ago with eventual winner Brooks Koepka and shared the lead with him late on the back nine on Sunday.
"It was great to play good on that Sunday, but to also feel comfortable with the pressure of having a chance to win a major," Scott said.
Although he settled for third at the PGA, Scott says it worked wonders on his confidence in time for the four-tournament post-season.
He almost entered last week's regular season-ending Wyndham Championship in a bid to end his two-and-a-half year winless drought, but decided to rest.
"Getting a taste of it made me a bit hungrier," Scott said.
"I had to weigh up whether to play Wyndham and force it a little; try take advantage of it but I had to look at the bigger picture with the FedEx Cup and a lot of golf coming up.
"I'm hoping to take it into this week and so far it looks like I have; teeing off today I felt probably the most confident I have all year."
Although Smith laid the sod over an easy chip shot at the par-5 17th and made bogey, the world No.49 bounced back with an early birdie on the back side.
"I drove it really good and actually felt I played really well, except for that chip I duffed on 17," Smith said.
Jason Day, the 2015 winner of this event, inexplicably missed a one-metre birdie putt on the par-5 17th and then bogeyed the last - signing for a 71 to sit even with the card.
Marc Leishman rounds out the Australian contingent but struggled while grouped with 14-time major winner Tiger Woods.
Leishman carded a two-over 73, while Woods scrapped around the narrow fairways and thick rough at Ridgewood during a 71.
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