SHEBOYGAN, Wis - Of course Tiger Woods will be on the Ryder Cup team. Whether Corey Pavin told Jim Gray that Tiger would or whether Corey Pavin didn't tell Jim Gray he would, begs the issue.

With the interest in Tiger, NBC television, commercial involvement of billion-dollar companies, the sport of golf and even Woods himself, it is a given he will play if chosen by Pavin.

Pavin thus will choose Tiger, even if he cannot say as much at the moment.

That feud, real or contrived, between Pavin, captain of America's Ryder Cup team, and Gray, captain of the Golf Channel's Confrontational Team, is only eyewash. Or maybe hogwash. But it was entertaining.

Indeed, it made the run-up to the 92nd PGA Championship, which literally stepped out of the fog on Thursday, something more than the usual pre-tournament babbling.

There we were, acting very golf-like, minding our manners, cognizant of the etiquette and sportsmanship so much a part of golf, when in strolls Gray like a gunslinger in a western movie.

Pavin a brief while earlier had denied he told Gray that even if Woods didn't qualify for the team he would be a captain's pick. "There's nobody promised any picks right now,'' insisted Pavin.

No promises, but an understanding. If Woods, still No. 1 in the world rankings, still among the most identifiable athletes on the planet - no jokes, please - even showed a scintilla of his greatness, well, Tiger, pack your bags for the Cup, Oct. 1-3, in Wales.

On Thursday, he reminded us that despite the misery of the previous weekend, when he came in next-to-last at the WGC-Bridgestone, Tiger knows what to do and for the most part how to do it.

Woods began his round, birdie-birdie, eventually got to 3-under par, then slipped to even par and with a birdie on his final hole, the ninth, shot a 1-under 71. It was his first sub-par round in the last eight. It was reassurance.

The Ryder Cup should be of less importance this week than the PGA, the final major of the year. But because the PGA of America, which hosts this tournament and with the European PGA Tour controls the Cup, the two captains, Pavin and Colin Montgomerie, were brought in to do a little promotion.

Harmless stuff, usually, but not this time. Not with Pavin denying the Golf Channel report he would select Woods if Tiger were not one of the eight qualifiers. Not with Gray implying Pavin had impugned his character. In the 19th Century, this might have called for dueling pistols.

Gray called Pavin "a liar,'' and then, in remark no one seemed to grasp, added, "You're going down.'' Gray started to leave, and Pavin, a tough little guy who won the 1995 U.S. Open, shouted, "You're just going to walk away?'' That led to more private debate.

No debating, however, it would be virtually impossible not to choose Woods, unless Tiger starts shooting 90 or locks himself in a room down in Florida.

Certainly, Pavin should discuss the selection with other members of the team, but who is going to raise his hand in opposition? If current comments from his fellow players have any credibility at all, other Tour players still respect Woods' talent.

Some of that talent was on display in what, after his bewilderingly awful play a few days earlier, might even be described as a comeback. There he was, in the sunshine - once the fog lifted - on the faux-links course at Whistling Straits, striding purposefully, swinging beautifully.

"To shoot something under par,'' said Woods. "That was the goal. Got off to a quick start, and all of a sudden, I felt like I could shoot something in the 60s. Didn't quite happen. Lost a few shots out there, but I made a nice birdie on nine and finished under par for the day.''

A big finish here and Woods would automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup team, making the confrontation of Pavin and Gray academic, not to mention somewhat silly.

Just like those who suggested Woods ought to take the rest of the year off, that he had lost his focus. Tiger proved Thursday he remains one of the best.

"Welcome to golf,'' was one of his comments. "It is what it is. Guys shoot 59 and don't win. Fickle game. ... Last week was, well, just one week. Everyone has bad weeks.''

Woods had good control of his shots and his putting was improved, if not outstanding.

"Everything was better,'' he confirmed. Wouldn't you like to hear Corey Pavin and Jim Gray say the same?