GRAND BLANC, Michigan (Ticker) -- It wasn't pretty. But it didn't need to be.

Tiger Woods cruised to his fourth title of the season Sunday, preparing for the PGA Championship with a runaway victory at the Buick Open.

Woods improved to 25-2 on the PGA Tour when leading after 54 holes, shooting a 2-under-par 70 to finish the 72-hole event at 17-under 271 and leave an overmatched Esteban Toledo in a tie for second, four strokes back.

"Sometimes I just beat the guys. Other times, I've gotten some great breaks that have allowed me to go on to win," he said of his 54-hole record. "You can't always play great all the time. You have to get some help, and I've got my share of good luck."

The win could have been even more decisive if Woods had not played sloppily down the stretch. He double-bogeyed the par-3 17th hole but still took a three-shot lead to the 18th.

"We play sports and we're all human," he said. "We're all going to make mistakes. As I said, I made my share of mistakes today, and you have to have a lot of luck on your side in order to win."

A Buick spokesman, Woods earned his 33rd PGA Tour win, moving within one of Tom Watson for 11th place on the all-time list. He also claimed the Bay Hill Invitational, Masters and U.S. Open this season.

Next week at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minnesota, Woods will have a chance to become the first player in history to win three majors in a season twice. His run at an unprecedented Grand Slam ended last month at the British Open.

"It would rank right up there to win three majors in a year and do it twice," he said. "Myself and Mr. (Ben) Hogan have done it and hopefully I can do it again. It's already been a successful year and I would like to make it more successful."

Sunday's victory was Woods' first during the week before a major. In the last 33 years, only two players have won a major the week after claiming another PGA Tour event.

"It's a weird phenomenon," said Woods, who two years ago won the PGA Championship and NEC Invitational in consecutive weeks. "I've won tournaments in the past back-to-back. I've won two tournaments in a row, and hopefully I can do it here."

Toledo began the day just a stroke behind Woods and stayed there through 12 holes, but remained winless in six years on the PGA Tour. He settled for his second career runner-up finish, ending up in a four-way tie at 13-under 275.

"He ought to be commended for the way he played," Woods said. "He played his heart out today."

Mark O'Meara -- Woods' good friend -- tied Toledo, Brian Gay and Fred Funk for second.

Preparing for next month's Ryder Cup, Paul Azinger shared sixth with Bob Tway, Tom Byrum and Pat Bates at 276. Reigning PGA winner David Toms and Jim Furyk were among four players at 277.

Toledo was the only player within realistic striking distance of Woods in the final round. The 39-year-old from Mexico sank his fourth birdie of the day at the par-5 12th hole to stay within a stroke of Woods at 17-under.

But that was Toledo's last birdie of the day.

It began to unravel for him at the par-5 13th, where he pulled his second shot into the gallery, then chipped through the green into water en route to his first of three straight bogeys.

Toledo also pulled his tee shot at the short par-4 14th and hit his chip fat before taking a bogey, falling four strokes off the pace.

"(That is) I think where the tournament swung open my way," Woods said. "I hit a bad tee shot there, pulled it left, hit the tree and came back out in play. He hits about the same drive I did, but he didn't have the lucky break that I got."

Woods wasn't his normally near-flawless self. After playing Nos. 6-13 in 4-under without a bogey, he hit a bad tee shot at the 14th, missed a 10-foot birdie putt at the 15th and found a bunker with his approach at the 16th.

"I hit good shots in spurts," he said. "I would play three or four good holes and then I would lose it for a couple of holes, then I would find it, then I would lose it, I would find it, then I would lose it."

But he didn't lose the tournament, one where he is a fan and sponsor favorite, having worked with Buick for years. Woods has two Buick crowns, claiming the Buick Invitational in 1999.

"It's cool to be able to win this event, as a Buick spokesman," he said. "I'm proud to be a Buick spokesman, and to win this tournament makes it that much more special."