GRAND BLANC, Michigan (Ticker) -- It might take a Buick to catch Tiger Woods at the Buick Open this weekend.

Golf's superstar began to pull away from the field Friday, building a four-shot lead midway through the event with a season-low 9-under-par 63.

Woods opened this PGA Championship tune-up with a 5-under 67 on Thursday and followed it up with a bogey-free round that included seven birdies and an eagle.

"I hit the ball really well today," said Woods, who also missed a handful of birdie putts. "It was an awful lot of fun being out there and hitting the ball this way."

A representative of Buick, Woods reached 14-under 130, four strokes better than Ryder Cup teammate Scott Verplank and J.J. Henry, who are miles away from a player seeking his 33rd PGA Tour title.

Woods doesn't give up many leads, going 15-4 when in front after 36 holes. But he will have to keep rolling at birdie-friendly Warwick Hills, where four-round totals of 20-under often win.

"Anyone who has the lead here, they all know you just have to continue to make birdies," Woods said. "You can't go out there and sit around and shoot a couple of 70s out there and know the tournament is over."

Verplank recorded a bogey-free 65 and is in contention for his second Buick Open title. He earned his first career win here 14 years ago.

In one of the last groups of the day, Henry shot a 67.

First-round leader Kent Jones, Carlos Franco of Paraguay, Glen Day, Esteban Toledo of Mexico, Pat Bates and Rod Pampling are tied for fourth at 9-under 135, a stroke better than a group of eight players that includes reigning PGA champion David Toms.

No one else is within five strokes of the leader.

To make matters worse, the leader is Woods, the top-ranked player in the world who is trying to add his name to the record book yet again. No one has won a major and the week before a major since Lee Trevino 31 years ago.

"I never read that one," he said. "But, yeah, it would be nice."

Next week, at Hazeltine in Minnesota, Woods will try to become the first player in history to capture three majors in a season twice. Ben Hogan is the only other player to accomplish the feat once.

Woods is looking good as he seeks his first Buick Open title. He went out in 5-under 31 on Friday, ending a run of three straight birdies with a putt from the fringe at the eighth hole.

"Anytime you can make some putts, get the momentum going, especially early in the round, you can start building," said Woods, who lowered his best round of the year by two strokes. "And I was able to do that."

Woods continued to make birdies on the back nine. He sank a three-foot putt at the 11th and drove the short par-4 14th before two-putting for another birdie.

After one of a handful of missed birdie chances at the 15th, Woods eagled the par-5 16th. He drove to the right rough and had a partially blind shot to the green but rolled it within four feet and made the putt.

"Only thing is, I thought it came out too hot," Woods said of the shot from the rough. "But the ball fell out of the sky, and when it did that, I knew the shot was going to be OK."

Verplank was in the clubhouse for hours by the time Woods finished. After his 65, he credited his familiarity with the course more than his game.

"I actually have not hit the ball as solidly this week as I have been most of the year," he said. "I think the big part of it is, I am just comfortable around the golf course."

Henry also showed he was comfortable Friday, overcoming two bogeys with seven birdies. He will play in the penultimate pairing Saturday as he chases Woods and continues the quest for his first career title.

"Well, obviously he's the best player in the world," Henry said. "And as far as the next couple of days, I can't really control what he does."