Only an unlikely late blitz will give Adam Scott a chance of moving to world No.1 after a poor start to the final round at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Needing a top-16 result to pass current No.1 Tiger Woods – and then needing help from Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar to remain on top – Scott opened his final round with a bogey and has added another at the 10th hole to drop well off the pace.

Beginning his round in a tie for 32nd at three under for the tournament, Scott saw a poor drive into a bunker set up the opening hole bogey, immediately dropping the Queenslander into a tie for 40th.

Missed birdie opportunities at the fourth and seventh holes were part of a run of eight pars before the 33-year-old overshot the 10th green and couldn’t get up and down.

Sitting one under for the tournament, back in a tie for 50th, he knew nothing short of a birdie barrage would be enough to ascend to the top of the world.

Fellow Australians John Senden and Matt Jones had yet to start their assault on what would be the biggest win of their careers.

Senden starts in a tie for third at nine under, three shots off leaders Martin Kaymer and Jordan Spieth, while Jones is just a shot further back in a tie for sixth at eight under.