Kelly Slater was relegated to the elimination round at Margaret River ©Getty Images

Kelly Slater faces the elimination round in the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour leg at Margaret River following an underwhelming opening day.

The 50-year-old surfing great was a favourite to advance straight to the round of 32 from the third heat, but endured a series of low-scoring waves which relegated him to the elimination round.

The American tallied just 9.20 points, which was vastly inferior to Hawaii’s Ezekiel Lau and Australia’s Ryan Callinan, who respectively scored 15.00 and 13.37.

The record 11-time WSL champion is scheduled to compete against Brazil’s Jadson Andre and Jack Thomas from host national Australia in the elimination round.

Andre was little match for Brazil’s Olympic gold medallist Italo Ferreira and Jake Marshall of the US, who scored 14.17 and 13.26 in their heat.

Andre tallied just 6.17.

Thomas was put in danger of elimination following a defeat to Brazil’s Filipe Toledo - the season leader - and compatriot Owen Wright, the Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist.

Slater is one of 13 surfers who had already made the mid-season cut before this fifth leg of the Championship Tour season.

Hawaii’s John John Florence was the highest scorer of the round with a brilliant 15.60, consequently thrashing Peru's Lucca Mesinas and Australia's Jacob Willcox in the heat.

However, Mesinas survived the unpredictability of the elimination round with a score of 8.93 - 0.49 higher than Willcox - meaning the Australian is due to face Brazil’s Miguel Pupo and Portugal’s Frederico Morais.

Pupo was completely cut adrift from the US’ Kolohe Andino and Brazil’s Joao Chianca, who advanced to the next round, while Morais dropped to the elimination round for scoring 11.43 - 0.04 below Jack Robinson’s tally.

American Griffin Colapinto won that heat on 14.07.

Samuel Pupo, Miguel’s brother, is also due to face the elimination round with Australia’s Callum Robson and Hawaii’s Imaikalani deVault progressing at his expense.

Seth Moniz of Hawaii and Matthew McGillivray of South Africa are due to join Pupo in that heat.

Brazilian duo Caio Ibelli and Deivid Silva are pitted against one another and Australia’s Ben Spence in the final elimination-round contest.

The WSL event is due to continue tomorrow if conditions allow.