When you've won a major championship, you don't fly across the Atlantic just for a steak dinner. Just ask Martin Kaymer.

The 2010 PGA Championship winner found himself seated next to a PGA of America official at Tuesday's Champions Dinner—the annual tradition where past winners gather. As Scottie Scheffler served up chicken parm, steak, and three flavors of gelato, the official turned to Kaymer with a question that caught the German completely off guard: "Do you still play?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm here," Kaymer responded, still processing the query. "I'm not flying from Europe to here to have a New York strip with you guys. Of course I'm playing."

That moment of doubt became fuel. "That really motivated me," Kaymer recalled.

And motivation translated to performance. The 41-year-old two-time major winner and European Ryder Cup hero fired a 3-under 67 at Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday, grabbing a share of the first-round lead alongside six others—including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler himself.

Starting on the back nine, Kaymer wasted no time. He birdied two of his first three holes, added two more birdies on the front, and carded just one bogey at No. 7. The highlight came at his final hole, where he unleashed a driver from 295 yards off the deck, landing it just 15 feet from the pin.

"It was a lovely lie on the fairway," Kaymer explained. "The grass grows with you, so you know you're not going to hit it fat. That's usually the mistake that you do. I practice it a lot—there's no reason, if you can do it in practice, why shouldn't you be able to do it in the tournament?"

The round represents a welcome resurgence for Kaymer, who has struggled during his LIV Golf tenure. He currently ranks 52nd on the season—out of just 57 players—and hadn't managed a finish better than T-25. The culprit? A string of injuries that derailed his preparation.

"I could never really perform, because I could never really practice, because I was always hurt," he said. "To be honest, it really pissed me off."

Now feeling fit again, Kaymer isn't the only German making noise. Stephan Jaeger also carded a 67 earlier in the day. When told it's been 25 years since two Germans sat in the top five after a major's first round, Kaymer correctly guessed the last pair: Bernhard Langer and Alex Cejka.

For a past champion who came for more than just dinner, Thursday's performance was a statement: Martin Kaymer still plays. And he plays well.