HAVEN, WIS. - Because of a fog delay of more than three hours, none of the players with afternoon tee times finished their rounds on the first day of the PGA Championship, meaning Friday will be a long day for half the field.

Of those who finished, Tiger Woods might have once again made himself the most newsworthy, making birdie on his first two holes after finishing 78th out of 80 players at the Bridgestone Invitational concluded last Sunday.

Woods finished at 1-under-par 71, and while he hit a few loose drives, including one swing on which he let go of the driver completely, he looked much more in control of his game than he has in weeks.

It was only the second time in his past 14 tournament rounds in which he broke par.

"Everything was better," he said. "I played too good not to shoot under par, and it would have been very disappointing and frustrating to end up at even par as well as I played today."

After his round, Woods worked with swing doctor Sean Foley on the driving range. While Woods has yet to admit he has hired Foley, Foley has been seen with Woods for three consecutive days.

Woods was asked how the fog delay affected him. "Well, I got to eat three breakfasts," he said. "So that's always good."

Woods received a mostly positive reception around Whistling Straits, except when he arrived at the 14th tee.

One fan yelled, "Where's the afterparty, Tiger?"

That comment was greeted by dead silence. Then Woods, who played the back nine first, missed his first fairway of the day.

JIM SOUHAN

Howell III in first major of year The major championship season of Charles Howell III began Thursday and ends, he hopes, on Sunday. Howell didn't qualify for the Masters and decided not to go through U.S. Open and British Open qualifying because he and his wife, Heather, were welcoming their first child.

The majors haven't been very kind to Howell anyway, since he never has had a top 10.

Howell came out strong at the PGA Championship, shooting a 3-under-par 69 after he saved par on the ninth hole, his 18th.

"I was in a bunker that looked like one of Herb Kohler's toilets," he said, referring to the owner of Whistling Straits and the bathroom-facility magnate.

Brother act Few players were more solid than Francesco Molinari, who hit 16 of 18 greens en route to a 4-under 68.

Molinari and his brother, Edoardo, teamed to win the World Cup of Golf for Italy last year. Edoardo is on track to qualify for the European Ryder Cup team, but Francesco is just below the line. Captain Colin Montgomerie makes three picks after nine players get enough points to make it.

Edoardo shot 1-under 71.