Tiger Woods mopped up his 69th PGA Tour victory as he won the Buick Open for a third time in Michigan. The world number one turned a one-shot 54-hole lead into a three-stroke victory over Roland Thatcher, John Senden and Greg Chalmers at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc.

It gave him his fourth title of the year and enabled him to bounce back from a missed cut at The Open at Turnberry last month.

"It's obviously nice to come back after my two playing days in Europe," said Woods, joking about the missed cut in Scotland - only the fifth of his professional career.

"I got two more days to practice and prepare for this event, which is nice."

Woods' last Buick Open win in 2006 was a precursor to victory in that year's US PGA Championship and so Sunday's victory bodes well for this year's final major of the year, which takes place in two weeks at Hazeltine National in Minnesota.

Another factor which could work in the American's favour is that first he will head to Firestone Country Club for next week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, a course he was won at six times before.

He explained: "It's always nice to win a golf tournament and then head into two big weeks with a bit of momentum."

Woods, who moved to within four PGA Tour victories of Jack Nicklaus's 73 and 13 of all-time wins leader Sam Snead, had trailed the first-round lead by eight shots only to charge back into contention with an eight-under 63 around the 7,127-yard par-72 course on Friday.

A third-round 65 moved him to the top of the leaderboard at 17 under par, one shot clear of fellow American Michael Letzig, with Australia's John Senden 15 under.

Yet Woods needed just a relatively modest, bogey-free closing three-under par 69 to seal victory at 20 under par as a viable challenge to his lead never materialised.

Woods continued: "The guys made the course accessible today, moved up a couple of tees and in the morning there was very little wind.

"The afternoon was a little trickier but you could still shoot a good number. I just had to be patient out there but also stay very focused because there were a lot of distractions.

"I got fooled a few times by the wind today, I made some good shots but got fooled, which is fine, but I made a few bad swings as well. I just hung in there and just ground my way around."

Both playing partner Letzig and Senden fell away on the front nine as Woods made the turn with a two-shot cushion over the field at 19 under, Letzig's double bogey at the par-three eighth leaving him four shots back.

The 14-time major winner's nearest rival was American Thatcher, already in the clubhouse after an early 64 moved him to 17 under, while Senden and fellow Australian Chalmers closed on the same mark with a 70 and 68 respectively for a three-way tie for second place.

Korea's Y E Yang claimed fifth place at 15 under following a closing 67 while Letzig, whose double bogey at the last on Saturday handed Woods the 54-hole lead, bogeyed the 18th in the final round for a 73 to fall into a tie for sixth with Ben Crane (69).

Lone European Greg Owen finished his weekend with a level-par 72, the Englishman closing at nine under par in a tie for 37th.

American Matt Bettencourt had a day to forget, though. He had started the day in a tie for fourth but opened with a 10 at the par-five first, then bogeyed the par-four second.

A couple of birdies on the back nine raised the spirits - but were followed with a bogey, birdie, bogey, bogey finish for a 78 which left him eight under.