Germany's Martin Kaymer and World Number One Tiger Woods emerged from the fog to make the perfect start to the final Major of the season.
Bad visibility delayed the start of the US PGA Championship for over three hours at the Whistling Straits course in Wisconsin.
But when conditions eventually cleared, Woods - joint 78th out of 80 in last week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio - birdied his first two holes.
Two under par after two was a massive improvement on 18 over par after 72 in Akron - and it instantly made him part of a seven-way tie for the lead.
Only for a few seconds, though, as Kaymer, in the group ahead, followed an eagle at the long 11th with a birdie on the next.
Woods, needing a top 15 finish to have a chance of automatic selection for the United States' Ryder Cup Team, sank a 12 foot putt on the 361 yard tenth and then holed from eight at the 618 yard next.
Scot Stephen Gallacher was the first European onto the spectacular course on the edge of Lake Michigan. He bogeyed the third, but came back with a birdie on the long fifth, while his fellow countryman Martin Laird bogeyed the first, but made two at the 181 yard third.
Alongside Woods on two under were Stuart Appleby, Jason Day, Michael Sim and Dane Søren Kjeldsen.
The length of the delay made it touch and go whether the first round would be completed before nightfall.
Woods had to wait only until the 404 yard 13th - his fourth of the day - for his third birdie, this time from seven feet.
He rejoined Kaymer, while Appleby, scorer of only the fourth 59 in US PGA Tour history two weeks ago, was three under as well thanks to a pitch to four feet at the par five 16th.
