Is Jim Furyk's Hot Start at 2013 PGA Championship Promising or an Illusion?

Jim Furyk came roaring out of the gate in the PGA Championship with precise ball-striking and excellent putting, and his performance in the first round indicates that he may be in the hunt for the Wanamaker Trophy.

Furyk, who won the U.S. Open in 2003, is going for the second major championship of his career and shot a 65, which is his best round of the year.

The 2013 season has not been a kind one to Furyk. He has not won or finished as a runner-up in any tournament. His third-place finish at the Valero Texas Open has been his most impressive performance of the year.

Beyond that, he has four top-10 finishes in the 17 events he has entered and has failed to make the cut three times.

Furyk, you may remember, was among the U.S. golfers who struggled on the final day of competition at last fall's Ryder Cup. He has not been near the top of his game since.

So, does his opening round of 65 represent a return to top form for the 43-year-old West Chester, Pa., native or is it merely one good round that may turn out to be a fluke?

Furyk believes he has a chance to give a solid showing at Oak Hill Country Club. He's a modest sort and did not make any bold predictions, but he did say he is feeling better about his gamedue to his recent form.

"I played well last week at the Bridgestone and I felt like the golf course would be a good fit," Furyk told TNT's Vince Cellini (h/t CBSSports.com). "I hit most of the fairways. The first day you just try and be positive."

When he met with the media after his round, it seemed he was trying to convince himself that his game is coming together.

The veteran knows he is must do a lot of things right if he is going to remain in the hunt. An excellent opening round is obviously impressive, but he will have to be at his best for four days.

He knows his putting is going to have to remain consistent, and that has been one of his biggest problems this year.

According to PGATour.com, Furyk ranks 120th in strokes gained putting. That's not going to allow a golfer to contend very often. He also tends to let bad holes stay with him. He ranks 148th in the "bounce back" category, which measures how a golfer does on the next hole after anything worse than a par.

Furyk putted superbly Thursday, as he had six birdies and didn't record his first bogey until the final hole.

"And this was one of my best putting rounds, if not the best putting round, I've had this year," Furyk told the AP, per ESPN.com.

Furyk has not won a tournament since taking the Tour Championship in 2010. It's been a long dry spell. While it was a fine opening round at the PGA Championship, it's going to take a lot more than one good day to make him a legitimate contender.