The world No. 5 fired a flawless seven-under-par 63 on a sweltering day at Atlanta Athletic Club to take control in the opening round of the year’s final major.

Long regarded as one of the best putters in the game, Stricker birdied five of his first nine holes and picked up two more shots after the turn.

He came close to an eighth birdie of the day at the par-four ninth, his final hole, and a first-ever 62 in a major after hitting a superb approach to 12 feet but pushed his approach putt past the right edge of the cup and had to settle for a par.

While Stricker surged ahead, fellow American Tiger Woods spectacularly self-destructed after making a red-hot start.

Former world No. 1 Woods, hunting his first tournament victory in nearly two years, birdied three of his first five holes in dazzling sunshine at Atlanta Athletic Club before imploding on the way to a seven-over-par 77.

It was his worst ever opening round at the PGA Championship, a tournament he has won four times in 14 appearances.

On 11 occasions, Woods found bunkers and he recorded three double-bogeys to end the round a distant 14 strokes behind the sizzling Stricker.

Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge, who teed off in the day’s first group, fired a two-under 68 in a tie with 18-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero and veteran American Davis Love III.

“We had the best of the conditions,” the burly de Jonge told reporters after recording three birdies and a lone bogey at the first. “It was very, very still this morning, first group off, and the greens are absolutely perfect.

“I played conservatively aggressive I guess. I drove it in a lot of fairways today, so that obviously made the golf course a lot easier.

Australian Adam Scott, fresh from victory at last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, opened with a 69 to finish level with Americans Brendan Steele, 2009 British Open champion Stewart Cink and PGA club professional Bob Sowards.

Scott, who clinched his eighth PGA Tour victory by four shots on Sunday, got to three under with three holes to play before finishing bogey-bogey.

“Under par around here is a good start,” the Australian world No. 9 said. “I was in a position to have a really good score and just dropped a couple coming in. I think it’s something I can build on for this week.”

Most eyes, however, were on world No. 30 Woods who was competing in only his second tournament since returning from three months on the sidelines due to leg injuries.

A glorious sun-baked morning began well for him as he birdied his opening hole after teeing off at the par-four 10th.

He struck a superb approach to 15 feet and calmly rolled in the right-to-left breaking putt as several fans shouted out: “Go in, go in.”

Woods, wearing a bright pink shirt and black trousers, gave a restrained right fist pump in celebration before another fan yelled: “He’s back.”

The 35-year-old also birdied the par-five 12th, where he got up and down from a greenside bunker, and the par-four 14th, after his second shot ended up just four feet from the cup.

However, he then dumped his tee shot into water at the difficult par-three 15th on the way to a double-bogey.

After taking a penalty drop on the 260-yard hole, the longest par-three ever at the PGA Championship, he hit his third shot to 15 feet before two-putting.

Woods bogeyed the 16th and double-bogeyed the 18th, where he was bunkered off the tee and also with his third shot to reach the turn in two-over.

Further bogeys followed at the first, second and fourth before he found sand off the tee at the par-four sixth and water with his second shot on the way to another double.

The misery for Woods was completed with a bogey on his final hole, the par-four ninth.