Ross Fisher was amongst the early leaders as the US PGA Championship began in Atlanta.
The Englishman, who missed last week's World Golf Championships event because his baby son Harry was in hospital, returned to action with an eight footer and then birdied the 457 yard 11th as well.
It put The Ryder Cup player two under par and joint leader with Americans Gary Woodland, Stewart Cink and Nick Watney.
World Number One Luke Donald was alongside Tiger Woods on one under, also grabbing a three at the 11th after saving par on the previous hole. He pulled his drive into a bunker there and came up 20 yards short of the green, but chipped to six feet.
Scot Stephen Gallacher was the first of the European contingent to tee off and he parred the first four holes of the back nine, while compatriot Martin Laird bogeyed the 512 yard par four second.
Woods set off in the final Major of the season with a 14 foot birdie putt - moments after Phil Mickelson had three-putted the same green from only three feet.
Four-time winner Woods had missed the US Open and The Open Championship through injury and was only 37th on his comeback in Akron last week, but he could hardly have played the 442 yard tenth any better.
In contrast, Mickelson's birdie attempt lipped out and run twice as far past the hole, from where he lipped out again.
Conditions were perfect and it showed in the scoring.
Woods let go of his club as his drive down the long 12th flew into the right-hand trees, but he was able to get a three wood at it, found a greenside bunker and with a brilliant third to three feet birdied again.
On two under he was two behind, however, as Fisher added further birdies on the 13th and 14th to lead by one from Watney.
Donald and Mickelson also birdied the 551 yard 12th to be two under and level par respectively and then Padraig Harrington, playing with Woods, did the same by almost holing from the back bunker.
The Dubliner was one under, having saved par from the trees at the tenth, and had Londoner Brian Davis for company after his opening birdie, while Gallacher and Laird were both down on two over.
Last week's winner Adam Scott was level after five, but his playing partner Ryo Ishikawa, who battled with the Australian on Sunday, double-bogeyed the 11th and triple-bogeyed the short 15th.
Woods hit a beauty of a drive at the 14th, struck his second to four feet and by making the putt went to three under - and joint leader as Fisher bogeyed the 476 yard 16th.
On the same mark were Steve Stricker and Brendan Steele, but Donald double-bogeyed the short 15th and dropped to level par.
Davis and Ian Poulter were one under, Mickelson and Harrington level par, Laird one over and Gallacher three over.
