Tiger finds a bit of his game

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - "Welcome to golf,'' Tiger Woods said. "It is what it is, a fickle game.''

For Tiger, it should have been "Welcome back to golf.'' Like the supposed Mark Twain comment of his demise, reports of the death of Woods' game have been greatly exaggerated.

Woods hadn't broken par his previous seven rounds, but Thursday, with a birdie on his final hole, he shot a 1-under 71 on the opening day of the 92nd PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

"Got off to a quick start,'' Woods. He started at the 10th hole and began birdie-birdie, "and all of a sudden I felt like I could shoot something in the 60s.

"Didn't quite happen. Lost a few shots out there, but I made a nice birdie on nine [his 18th] and finished under par for the day.''

That, he said, was his goal. It left him three shots behind several co-leaders. It left him thinking positively, maybe even thinking about winning his first major since the 2008 U.S. Open.

When asked if his driving was better, Woods answered, "Everything was better.''

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: 2009 PGA Championship

Including his mood. When he finished Sunday at the WGC Bridgestone with a 77, equaling his worst closing round in 13 years as a professional, Woods seemed ready to hurl his clubs into a trash barrel. But a couple of days of practice changed everything.

And that debate between U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin and TV announcer Jim Gray, over whether Pavin told Gray he would select Woods for the team, seemed inconsequential.

If Woods plays well, he could be an automatic qualifier. The difference between this week and last?

"Just one week,'' Woods said. ''That's the way it goes. I mean everyone has bad weeks.''