Woods, paired with Arjun Atwal at the Atlanta Athletic Club, was joined by teacher Sean Foley — who was adjusting and tweaking his star pupil's stance and swing throughout the round. Woods hasn't won a tournament since November 2009 and hasn't won a major since the US Open three years ago.
Atwal, though, said the 14-time major winner was starting to regain his swing.
"He looked good," Atwal said. "He's really flushing it and got that sound again. He just needs more repetitions."
Woods was surrounded by security guards after his round and did not speak to reporters. He has a news conference scheduled for Wednesday morning.
He returned last week from a knee injury, tying for 37th at the WGC-Bridgestone.
Woods was easy-going with the large gallery that followed him over the front nine and took mobile phone photos at nearly every turn. He smiled at a little girl walking to the seventh tee and answered, "What's up?" after she called his name. He signed autographs for eager fans following the round.
When Atwal accidentally hit Woods in the leg with an easy practice chip, he asked, "Was that the bad leg?"
"It is now," Woods responded with a smile.
Woods hurt his knee at the Masters last April, then withdrew from The Players Championship after nine holes a month later when the pain got too great. He said he wouldn't compete again until he was fully healthy. Woods started with a 68 at Bridgestone, then gradually fell from contention.
The PGA Championship is the 35-year-old Woods' final chance this year to edge closer to Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.
Luke Donald wonders what a No. 1-ranked golfer has to do to get a little TV coverage.
He joked that TV cameras don't spent much time with their lenses on him, despite the Englishman owning the top spot in the world rankings for the 11th week. "I understand that when I'm in the U.S., being a player from England, I'm not going to get as much support," he said Tuesday at the PGA Championships.
Donald could up his Q-rating with a victory this week at the Atlanta Athletic Club. He won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February and added a pair of wins in Europe at the Barclays Scottish Open and the BMW PGA Championship. He was also runner-up three times this season, including last week at the WGC-Bridgestone.
Donald took over the No. 1 ranking in May with his victory at the BMW, beating fellow Englishman and good friend Lee Westwood in a playoff.
Donald played his college golf in the United States, winning an NCAA individual championship at Northwestern in 1999. He knows success in a major brings people attention, like Rory McIlroy received after winning the U.S. Open last June. Donald was equal fourth at the Masters, but has struggled since then with a 45th at the U.S. Open before missing the cut at the British.
Donald said his strong showing at Bridgestone last week gives him confidence he can contend throughout the season's final major. Still, Donald accepts he probably won't match the TV time enjoyed this week by Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson or McIlroy.
