In a history going back to 1964 the World Match Play Championship has never seen anything quite like Brandt Snedeker's victory over Thomas Bjorn in Spain.
The 31-year-old American began his opening group 8 game with just 10 clubs in his bag and yet won the first three holes before more arrived.
Snedeker was forced to seek replacements when his usual set went missing en route from Florida on Monday.
They eventually showed up at Malaga Airport on Thursday morning, then were driven to Finca Cortesin an hour away and taken to him on the fourth tee.
Under the rules he was allowed only to add four to those he had started with, but was so happy with the driver he had borrowed from Australian John Senden and the putter he had chosen in the pro shop that he continued with them.
"The driver worked really well, so I think it's mine now and no longer his," said the three-time PGA Tour winner, who hopes to use this week to impress American Ryder Cup captain Davis Love.
"It was kind of a weird day to say the least. I didn't like my chances at all actually - I knew Thomas was a world-class player and it was pretty windy, so I knew it favoured him."
Bjorn, though, has been suffering from a virus lately - he pulled out of the last two events in America - and he could never recover from bogeying the opening three holes, falling five down after six and losing 5&4.
It was not the biggest defeat of the day, however. Robert Rock crashed 7&6 to fellow Englishman Justin Rose, who birdied the first five holes, winning four of them, and later added two more.
Rock is the player, of course, who in January went head-to-head with Tiger Woods and beat not just him, but also world top three Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood in Abu Dhabi.
The week is not yet over for Bjorn, Rock and the other five who lost on the opening day - Swedes Peter Hanson and Robert Karlsson, Senden, Alvaro Quiros and top seed Martin Kaymer, under the revised format since Volvo took over sponsorship of the famous event.
They could yet make it through to the last 16 if they win their second games. Ian Poulter won the title last year after failing to win either of his group matches - he halved them both.
Second seed Rose said: "The game was good - I adjusted to the speed of the greens quickly and Robert didn't."
His only hiccup came when he missed from three feet on the ninth after his opponent had holed from eight.
"I had to remind myself to keep in it and play solid golf," he added.
To guarantee himself a place in the knock-out stages Rose now needs only a half against Open champion Darren Clarke, the lowest-ranked player in the group after his slide to 70th in the world.
The same applies to Poulter against Tom Lewis, the 21-year-old who led the Open as an amateur last July and then won the Portugal Masters on only his third professional start.
Both are from Hertfordshire and Poulter was recently shown a picture of a 10-year-old Lewis caddying for him at Welwyn Garden.
"I think he's a great player. Also very shy, very quiet - that to me is probably the bit that he needs to try and change in a way," said the extrovert Poulter after his 3&2 win over Senden.
Scot Paul Lawrie started his 500th European Tour event with a 2&1 victory over the higher-ranked Hanson, winning the 16th with a par to go one-up and then making birdie from five feet on the next after his six-iron tee shots kicked off the bank right of the green.
"It came out absolutely beautifully," said the former Open champion, on course for a return to the Ryder Cup after a gap of 13 years.
"But it wasn't much of a game - neither of us holed any putts."
He could empathise with Snedeker because he lost his luggage on his way to the Spanish Open two weeks ago - and still has not got a suitcase back.
Lawrie and Hanson now have to play Colombian Camilo Villegas, while Graeme McDowell next meets South African Jbe Kruger after his thrilling last-green win over Karlsson.
The 2010 Ryder Cup hero trailed entering the closing stretch, birdied the 16th, got up and down from a bunker at the short 17th and then almost eagled the 568-yard last.
That left Karlsson, in sand for two, needing to hole from eight feet for a half, but he missed it.
"One down with three to play against a great player, I feel very fortunate," said the Northern Irishman.
Kaymer lost 3&2 to Dubai Desert Classic winner Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Spain's other winner was Sergio Garcia, who came from behind to beat compatriot Quiros 2&1.
There was also one halved game, last year's Masters champion Charl Schwartzel making birdie on the last to square things against last year's surprise semi-finalist Nicolas Colsaerts.
Collated results in the first round of the Volvo World Match Play Championship, Finca Cortesin GC, Casares, Andalucia, Spain
(Par: 72, Seeded positions in brackets, Gbr & Irl unless stated)
Group 1
(1) Martin Kaymer (Ger) lost to (16) Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 3 & 2
Group 2
(4) Graeme McDowell bt (13) Robert Karlsson (Swe) 1 hole
Group 3
(2) Justin Rose bt (15) Robert Rock 7 & 6
Group 4
(3) Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) halved with (14) Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)
Group 5
(5) Sergio Garcia (Spa) bt (12) Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 2 & 1
Group 6
(8) Ian Poulter bt (9) John Senden (Aus) 3 & 2
Group 7
(6) Peter Hanson (Swe) lost to (11) Paul Lawrie 2 & 1
Group 8
(7) Brandt Snedeker (USA) bt (10) Thomas Bjorn (Den) 5 & 4
