Woods jumps into the lead, driver's seat at Bu

GRAND BLANC, Mich. -- Even coming off his best round of the year, Tiger Woods isn't ready to count the Buick Open as his 33rd victory on the PGA Tour and fourth this year.

"You just have to continue to make birdies," he said. "You can't go out there and sit around and shoot a couple of 70s out there and know that the tournament is over."

Woods, playing in his first tournament since his chance for a Grand Slam ended, shot a 9-under 63 Friday and pulled away from the field with a four-stroke lead after two rounds at the Buick Open.

It was his best round since last year's Byron Nelson Classic and his frequent smiles on the course at Warwick Hills showed he enjoyed it.

"It was an awful lot of fun being out there and hitting the ball this way," Woods said.

At 10 under are Scott Verplank, who shot a 65, and J.J. Henry, who was 5 under for the second straight day. Verplank's first win as a professional was the Buick Open in 1988.

Woods has won 15 of 19 tournaments he has led or been the co-leader of after 36 holes.

Woods, who began the day two strokes behind Kent Jones, had five birdies on the front nine and two birdies and an eagle on the back. He has gone 51 holes without a bogey, dating to the third hole of the final round of the British Open, which could have been the third leg of the Grand Slam.

The last major, the PGA Championship, is next week at Hazeltine in Minnesota. Woods appears ready for it, although he insists he's not using the Buick Open as a warmup.

"No, I am not practicing for next week," Woods said. "I do all that on the range. If I am going to go out there and shape shots for next week, I do that on the range. When I am out there playing, I am trying to win."

Woods, who has won seven of the last 12 major tournaments including this year's Masters and U.S. Open, has a chance this week and next to add to his impressive resume.

If Woods wins the Buick Open and the PGA Championship he would be the first player to win three majors in one year twice. Ben Hogan did it in 1953 and Woods did it two years ago.

The Buick Open is one of three tournaments Woods has played in at least three times without winning. The others are the Nissan Open and Phoenix Open.

Women's British Open: Australia's Karrie Webb made two eagles to improve her chances for a third Women's British Open title, while Swedish star Annika Sorenstam missed the cut.

Webb shot a 1-under 71 to move within a stroke of Sweden's Carin Koch and Taiwan's Candie Kung. Koch shot her second straight 68 to join Kung, the first-round rounder, at 8 under.

Sorenstam followed an opening 73 with a 77, finishing at 6-over 150 to miss the cut for the first time in 75 LPGA Tour events.

Seniors: James Mason shot a course-record 8-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead over Hale Irwin after the first round of the 3M Championship.

Mason, playing with course designer Arnold Palmer, birdied seven of the last 12 holes to break the mark of 66 set last year by three players in the first event on the TPC of the Twin Cities.

Irwin had a bogey-free 66. Green was another stroke back at 67.-- From wire reports