Woods eases to victory at Buick Open

Tiger Woods delivered an ominous warning to his challengers for next week's U.S. PGA championship when he triumphed in the Buick Open by four shots on Sunday.

Playing in his first tournament since last month's British Open, the 26-year-old world number one fired a closing 70 to finish at 17-under 271.

It was his first Buick Open title in his fourth start and his 33rd career victory on the U.S. PGA Tour.

Mexico's Esteban Toledo, one behind Woods at the start of the day, carded a 73 for 13-under-par 275 and a share of second along with Mark O'Meara, Brian Gay -- who both shot final-round 68s -- and Fred Funk, who hit a 71.

"It was tough playing out there," Woods said.

"I didn't hit the ball, just like yesterday, hitting it in spurts. I made a lot of big par putts and made a few birdie putts here and there, but it was with the putter."

Woods shot a one-under par 71 on Saturday.

"I was able to hang in there," he added.

For much of the round, all Woods could do was hang around.

He played the front nine in three-under-par, but Toledo played it in two-under.

Woods' two-shot lead suddenly became one when Toledo, a 39-year-old former boxer who has never won on Tour, birdied the 10th.

On the 11th, a Woods birdie moved the margin back to two strokes, but Toledo sliced the difference back to one on the next hole when he birdied and Woods missed his putt for a three.

UNLUCKY 13TH

The par-five 13th proved to be particularly unlucky for Toledo, who hit a perfect drive only to pull his long-iron approach well left of the green and in the rough.

Faced with a difficult pitch over a bunker and downhill to water, Toledo hit the ball too firmly and it rolled into the pond.

After a drop, he bogeyed while Woods chipped from just short of the green and holed his birdie putt.

The dramatic shift from a one-stroke deficit to a three-stroke one seemed to affect Toledo for the remainder of the round.

He bogeyed 14, 15 and 18, while making par on 16 and 17.

"I had to birdie 13, but I pulled it," Toledo said.

"That was the key to the tournament.

"I wasn't nervous at all. He's the best player, and I tried to put some pressure on him. It just didn't work."

For his part, Toledo said he was prepared for the battle with Woods and the sometimes raucous crowds.

"I am a very strong person," Toledo said.

"I like to battle things, battle good. Like I said, I was mentally prepared for all the crowds that Tiger has following him.

"I'm not scared of anybody. This is the way I'm brought up. When I put my mind ready to go, I'm ready to go.

"I told my wife this morning, 'I'm going to go out there and win it. There's no second place for me. I'm going to go out there and win it. I know I can beat him.'

"Unfortunately it didn't happen in the last two or three holes, but I will win. No doubt in my mind."

NEVER TROUBLED

Despite a double-bogey on the par-three 17th, Woods' victory was never in doubt after the decisive 13th.

"I'm telling you, I got some lucky breaks to win some of the tournaments," Woods said.

"Sometimes I just beat the guys. Other times I've gotten some great breaks that have allowed me to go on to win.

"You can't always play great all the time. You have got to get some help and I've got my share of good luck."

Woods, who will be chasing his third major title of the year at Hazeltine next week, has now won 25 of 27 PGA Tour events when leading or tied for the lead entering the final round.

If he wins next week's U.S. PGA Championship, he would be the first player to win a major after winning a tournament the previous week since Scotland's Sandy Lyle won the Greater Greensboro Open and the U.S. Masters in 1988.