SYDNEY, Australia Tournament host Greg Norman shot a 4-over-par 77 today to drop 11 strokes behind Australian countryman Anthony Painter after the first round of the Greg Norman Holden International.

"I couldn't get in a groove and really didn't have any enthusiasm or excitement," said Norman, playing his first tournament since the Presidents Cup in December. "I just need to chip away for a couple of days."

Norman, the 1998 winner on The Australian course, did not have a single birdie on The Lakes course.

"On this course, if you don't make five or six birdies you feel you have been lapped, because of the par 5s and short par 4s," said Norman, still making his way back to top form following shoulder surgery last year.

Painter shot a 5-under 32 on the back nine to take a one-stroke lead over Australia's Peter Senior and New Zealand's Michael Campbell.

Australia's Jarrod Moseley, the winner of the Heineken Classic on Sunday in Perth, was two strokes back along with countryman Bradley King.

Japan's Shigeki Maruyama, the International team star in the Presidents Cup victory over the United States, topped a four-player group at 69. Germany's Bernhard Langer opened with a 71, American John Cook shot a 73, and South African senior star Gary Player had a 76.