By Pete Herrera
The Associated Press

HAVEN, Wis. - Tiger Woods is back where he started his professional career, this time chasing an end to his slump in the majors.

Woods, playing an official tour event in Wisconsin for the first time since his pro debut in the Greater Milwaukee Open eight years ago, is trying to avoid going two seasons without a major championship win.

His last chance is the PGA Championship, which starts today at Whistling Straits, the longest course in major tournament history at 7,514 yards.

"It's never easy to win a major championship," Woods said. "I think all of you guys realize that now."

After his debut in Milwaukee, where he tied for 60th and earned $2,544, he won twice and had three top-10 finishes in only eight tournaments.

A year later, Woods won four tournaments and his first Player of the Year award.

"Boy, it does seem like a lifetime ago," said Woods. "A lot has happened in my life since then."

He has 40 Tour wins - though just one this season - and his career earnings have topped $43 million.

But he hasn't been able to return to the form of 2000 and 2001, when he won 14 times and became the first player to hold all four professional major titles at once.

"I haven't been hitting the ball quite as close to the flags. I haven't been making as many putts," Woods said. "When I'm going out there and shooting 12 under par in the U.S. Open and 19 under par in the British Open, things are going pretty well. You're feeling pretty good about your game and you're riding a high. I shot some great scores on my run there."

Those guys chasing him no longer seem so far away.

• Vijay Singh is a four-time winner on the PGA Tour this year and leads the money list.

• Phil Mickelson won his first major at the Masters and had a chance to win the U.S. and British Opens on the back nine of each.