PGA Championship 2012: Tiger Shoots 3-Under; Leader At 6-Under

Many of the games-within-the-game this week involve, naturally, Tiger Woods (see: Can he finally win his 15th major and chip away at Jack Nicklaus’s 18? Will he move closer to Sam Snead’s all-time record of 82-wins? Will he get out to a strong start, only to stumble once again down the stretch? Et cetera, et cetera).

Woods also has the chance to climb back atop the rankings ladder for the first time since October 2010. But the current No. 2 has some competition for the first slot from last year’s PGA Tour wunderkind. Indeed, Rory McIlroy, currently third in the Official World Golf Rankings behind Woods and top-ranked Luke Donald, sent a message with an opening-round 5-under 67, that he was, indeed, “playing pretty well” entering the year’s final major.

John Daly has been a fan favorite since he won the PGA Championship in 1991. Count Tiger Woods among the many admirers of Long John, who posted a 4-under 68 in Thursday’s opening round of this year’s version of the PGA Tour’s final major of the season.

“When I came on Tour, he was great,” Woods told reporters after scoring a 69 in his up-and-down first round. “We had lunch, we played practice rounds. He’s always been great to me over the years. I have always rooted for him. I have always been a John Daly fan and a friend.”