Thomas Bjorn's nadir in golfing terms probably wasn't his late collapse that cost a British Open title at Royal St Georges in 2003 but rather the emotional turmoil, the sheer frustration that caused him to walk in after six holes on the first day of the Smurfit European Open on the South Course earlier this year.

The Dane, four over for the stretch of holes that day and exasperated at a golf game that seemed in terminal decline, candidly admitted at the time: "I am out of sorts at the moment and feel uncomfortable on the golf course. I'm going home to sort out my game as there are some enormously important events on the horizon. This is the worse stretch I have ever had in my life and I am fighting demons."

Yesterday at Mount Juliet, the opening round of the World Golf Championship offered Bjorn a chink of light, his first significant fillip on a golf course that his rehabilitation was beginning to reap tangible rewards. He shot a four-under-par 68, the first time that he had signed a card for a score in the 60s since the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in the second week in July.

Bjorn again? He is wary.

"I know that one round doesn't change everything but it certainly shows me that I am doing the right things. I am very happy with today. It was the best (I have played) all year. Tee to green it was very, very good. I hit 16 greens and only one loose shot on the 14th."

He set about rebuilding his golfing career by working with Swedish psychologist Kjell Enhager, who has also ministered to Annika Sorenstam, and trusting the people who presided over a lucrative stage of his career. He returned to his former coach Pete Cowan and this week was reunited with his former caddie Ken Comboy, a partnership which recalled better days on the golf course.

The other ingredient that perhaps kick-started his revival was Bernhard Langer's decision to include Bjorn as one of his assistants for the recent Ryder Cup: although initially the Dane wasn't sure a close-up view of his friends playing such good golf was exactly inspirational.

He smiled: "I don't know if it was an inspiration or you start worrying about they're going to beat you. The inspiration comes from being part of that team, going through all the things that went on with them there while at the same time it was difficult for me to see how I was going to beat them in the near future.

"You draw inspiration from it because it gives you some good memories. It gives you a lot of fun with golf. I haven't had fun with golf (in a long time). I've not been sick of it but I've just not have had fun because it's been such hard work for me. Any time I step on the golf course I work hard with my game but I really haven't found the solutions."

Bjorn's reticence in refusing to declare the state of emergency with regard to his game is over is understandable. He's still in the tunnel but can at least see the light. Another salutary lesson he received at Oakland Hills was the importance of adhering to routines, a fundamental principle for all golfers but sometimes forgotten on pressure drenched occasions.

Mount Juliet offers him an opportunity to accelerate that improvement. He has put himself in an ideal position to have a meaningful impact on the tournament. Yesterday was a start but in the context of Bjorn's recent golfing fortunes, it represents so much more psychologically.

As he offered: "We get very hard on ourselves. We all strive to be the best we can be but sometimes it doesn't take perfect golf to be the best you can be."

None drove himself harder than Bjorn so those words suggest he has a better appreciation of the road ahead.

Every great journey begins with a single step.