London, England-- (SBWIRE) -- 08/17/2010 -- No prizes for guessing who was at the centre of attention when the fog lifted at the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits yesterday to reveal a clear-thinking Tiger Woods.
After the lengthy three hour delay, he wasted no time in demonstrating that last weeks malaise at the Bridgestone Invitational was not terminal.
Replacing the wild man off the tee was a figure of relative precision; where seven days ago there was only uncertainty on the greens, there was now a measure of conviction.
Woods posted a 71 that left him just three shots behind fellow American Bubba Watson and Italian Ryder Cup hopeful Francesco Molinari.
After working with caddie Steve Williams and Justin Roses coach Sean Foley on keeping his head still during his swing, Woods had been hitting it well in practice.
It is, of course, quite another thing to take it on to the first tee. No wonder there was a particularly warm handshake from Williams at the finish, for he knew better than anyone that this represented a considerable step up from the worst performance of Woods professional career last week.
Just like then, he leads after day one, only this time he has company in the form of the personable Molinari. No-one would be surprised to see both of them at the Ryder Cup.
For Molinari, something would have to go terribly wrong for him not to make it, while Watson endeared himself to many of his countrymen by revealing the only thing he's interested in this season is playing at Celtic Manor.
Scot Martin Laird plies his trade on the U.S Tour and had his first top ten finish last week since the start of the season.
He continued in similar vein with a fine 70, while fellow countryman Stephen Gallacher, who is now putting together the sort of consistent results commensurate with his talent, dug deep after an early double bogey to card a useful 71.
What crowds gathered on the 10th tee to watch Woods. Perhaps it was fortunate that this is a short part four, and so Woods could leave his ever-troublesome driver sheathed at the start.
Now came a bigger test, on the monstrously long par five 11th. For all its length, a good tee shot gives a big hitter the chance to go for the green, and Woods struck a beauty.
No rocking and rolling his head on this one. On the green, another good putt was holed for a second birdie, while at the 12th he saved par.
Among the early British and Irish finishers, Brian Davis shot 71 while fellow Englishmen Paul Casey and Luke Donald had to settle for 72s, as did Ian Poulter, who recovered well following an early triple bogey.
'I think it would have been very harsh if I had not finished under par given how well I played, he said.
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