CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Peyton Manning glanced around as he stood on the 18th green at the Quail Hollow Club late Wednesday morning. People were everywhere — surrounding the sun-splashed green, lined tightly down the fairway and wedged into the bleachers.

The size of the gallery probably won't be much bigger late Sunday afternoon, when the Quail Hollow Championship wraps up.

This, however, was only the tournament's pro-am. And Manning — the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback who's accustomed to playing before sold-out football stadiums every week — was a little taken aback.

Although Manning is always a popular draw as a pro-am participant, it was the pro in his group — a good buddy of his named Tiger Woods — who was the main attraction for the massive crowds that followed them around the course all morning.

"I've played football in front of 100,000 people before," Manning said. "To be perfectly honest, I'm a little out of my comfort zone with this. There, at least I know what I'm doing."

The Woods-Manning group (they were joined by Quail Hollow Club president Johnny Harris) was near the top of the pro-am results for much of the day. A few highlights: Woods eagled the par-5 fifth and seventh holes; Manning holed a chip on No. 13 for par and Harris contributed his share of birdies.

To Manning's credit, any nerves he had didn't show. Dressed in a dark blue shirt and khakis, he played the course and worked the crowd with equal ease.

Signing endless autographs between green and tee box, Manning joked and chatted with the crowd the entire 18 holes.

"Eli!" one fan yelled from the stands at the 17th tee, needling Manning about his younger brother.

Peyton Manning just smiled and gave a thumbs-up. Then he tossed the fan a ball.

A few holes earlier, Manning's approach shot flew into the gallery and glanced off a fan.

After chipping onto the 14th green, Manning apologized to the fan, who was unhurt.

"Do it anytime," the fan said, somewhat breathlessly.

Manning tends to crush the ball on his drives, although they don't always stay straight. On the par-5 15th, he sent one to the right rough.

"I'm hitting it hard, though," he said, smiling.

His caddy was Colts teammate Anthony Gonzalez, who said he had never been on a bag before. Manning said Gonzalez did an excellent job, helping him read putts and gauge distances.

"Yeah, right," Gonzalez said.

On the 15th green, Woods crouched behind Manning as he lined up a short putt, painstakingly pointing out where it might break and by how much.

Manning missed it.

"Bad read!" came a shout from the gallery.

Manning and Woods have recently become friends, close enough that they text-message each other and leave voice mails after golf tournaments and NFL games. They've played together in a pro-am once before — the Bay Hill Invitational — and had three rounds to themselves at Woods' home course, Florida's Isleworth Country Club.

"We just let our hair down then," said Manning. "It was pretty special."

With that friendship comes, of course, good-natured teasing. When Manning's putt on No. 18 rolled past the hole and down a slope toward the fringe of the green, Woods tossed his putter in front of the ball to stop it.

"With him, you can't help it," Manning said of the gamesmanship. "He can give it out with the best of them.

"Of course I'm always on his turf. I've got to get him on the football field."