Tiger Woods hits the ball on the par 3 third hole on the North Course at Torrey Pines while practicing for the Buick Invitational golf tournament Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

By Doug Ferguson

Associated Press

SAN DIEGO — At sunrise Wednesday at Torrey Pines, the PGA Tour began a slow shift back to golf.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have not been on the same piece of property in nearly four months, since celebrating a U.S. victory at the Presidents Cup in Montreal. They were on the first tee together in the chilly morning of the Buick Invitational pro-am — Woods on the South Course, Mickelson on the North Course — before making their 2008 debut.

This was one day after a player meeting on the new anti-doping policy that brought the occasional outburst.

This was two days after Woods' first public comments on a Golf Channel anchor getting suspended for jokingly suggesting that young players "lynch" Woods in a back alley. Only three days before that, a magazine editor was fired for putting a noose on the cover.

And a dozen or so players are still livid over the PGA Tour's new cut policy that kept 18 guys from playing on the weekend in the first full-field tournament of the year.

Some feel the PGA Tour season doesn't start until Woods shows up.

This year, it couldn't come fast enough.

Woods and Mickelson headline the field at the Buick Invitational, which is sure to have some sizzle beyond the fact they are No. 1 and No. 2 in the world ranking and the two biggest personalities in golf.

They have combined to win this tournament six of the last eight years, and Woods is the three-time defending champion. A win this week would be his sixth victory in 12 season-openers, and allow him to tie Arnold Palmer in career tour victories with 62.

And while the majors don't start until April at Augusta, consider this week a sneak preview of the U.S. Open, which will be held at Torrey Pines in June and will be substantially tougher.

Woods caused a stir earlier this month by saying the Grand Slam was "easily within reason," and he hasn't backed off.

"For most of my career, I've won more than four tournaments per year, and all I have to do is win the right four," Woods said. "And I've done those a few times. I think if you put it all together, have luck on your sides, all the stars will line up, and it certainly is possible."

One challenge could come from Mickelson, whose season last year was slowed by a wrist injury. He won two of the last four events he played, including a duel with Woods outside Boston and his first international victory at the HSBC Champions in China.

"My excitement level for '08 is extremely high because I feel very comfortable with the swing changes I've made over the last nine months with Butch Harmon," Mickelson said. "I feel like I'm ready to play without having to think about the nuances of that and to be able to react again to shots as opposed to having to think about swing mechanics."