Tiger limps into contention with 66 at Spyglass.(The Orlando Sentinel)

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. _ If this is how Tiger Woods plays on one good gam, the rest of the PGA Tour better not hire any leg-breakers for an equalizer.

A day after saying he might be forced to withdraw from the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am because of a sore knee, Woods shaved seven shots off his round at Spyglass Hill last year and moved within two shots of the lead in the first round on Thursday.

Woods, playing on a left knee that he sprained while being rushed by an overzealous fan Wednesday, ambled to an opening 6-under 66 with a wiggle in his walk and occasional grimace on his face.

Woods, the defending champion, ended the day two shots behind journeyman pro David Berganio Jr., who shot 8-under 64 at Spyglass to match the tournament record.

Tied for second is a pair of guys named Johnson, both from the Buy.com Tour. Mark Johnson, 46, is a former beer-truck driver who turned pro in 1998, while Richard Johnson, 29, will be playing his third season on the former Nike Tour this year.

In terms of more traditional threats, Woods is locked in a four-way tie for fourth in a group that includes Vijay Singh.

Woods, the world's top-ranked player, started the day with a brace in place, but he remembered how much he hated wearing the device when he had a knee problem in college. So he chucked it before the round began.