Honey, I've shrunk the Hong Kong Open - yes it seemed as if some mad scientist had got his way with the city's oldest professional sporting event with a magic potion for it was a strange new world at Fanling on Thursday.
The crowds were fewer in numbers. The VIP marquee tents, which had been double-decker stands at previous editions, had shrivelled in size.
The hospitality tents of other corporate sponsors were conspicuous by their absence. Even the sandwiches in the media centre seemed to have shrunk.
Thank heavens then for one constant - Miguel Angel Jimenez and his cigar.
The defending champion, who has played here every year since 2004, lit up immediately after a modest opening round of even-par 70, six shots behind leaders David Higgins of Ireland, and the smoke from his Cuban brought back memories of when the fairways were heaving and the players were mobbed.
Jimenez on Thursday had his faithful few asking for autographs. So did China's teenage prodigy Guan Tianlang, and of course, John Daly.
But by and large, the rest of the field were anonymous and made up of the rank-and-file of the Asian Tour with a few European Tour professionals sprinkled around.
Higgins is one such player. Having lost his tour card in Europe last season, he then failed to win it back in Q-school. That has made the 41-year-old from Cork hungry and he revelled in the perfect conditions at Fanling.
"I love this course for it rewards the guy who hits the fairways," said Higgins after making nine birdies and three bogeys in his opening round.
"It is a great start, but there is a long way to go. I had a disappointing end to my season and this is the perfect start for me. But I need to keep it up."
Higgins leads by one from Italy's Andrea Pavan and by two shots from a bunch of seven players, including Singaporean Lam Chih Bing, who was second on the reserve list, but found himself suddenly in the thick of the action after Finland's Joonas Granberg was disqualified for not making his tee-off time after his caddie had gone to the wrong tee.
Lam still might not have made it if not for his friend Anthony Kang, the first alternate, deciding to caddy for Unho Park thinking that no place would open up. All this added to the surreal surroundings on the opening day.
But it was business as usual for Jimenez, who puttered around the familiar surroundings - this being his 10th consecutive visit - to finish on an even-par 70, six shots adrift of the leader.
If not for three-putting for a bogey at the 18th hole, the Hong Kong favourite would have been happier.
"I need more putts. My hitting is good, but my putting was not all that great," said Jimenez, who is seeking to win his fourth Hong Kong Open title. He has a lot to do, but seemed unfazed as he contentedly puffed on his cigar.
"There are three more days to go. A lot can happen. What I need now is rest," said the Spaniard before wandering off with his girlfriend Susanne.
Last year Jimenez collected US$330,000 for winning the tournament. If he repeats that feat on Sunday, it will be US$216,660. Even that has shrunk.
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