San Diego, January 29:

Tiger Woods caught up to the pack with an eagle and pulled away with bogey-free golf down the stretch to close with a 6-under 66 to win the Buick Invitational for the third straight year, his seventh consecutive victory on the PGA Tour.

Woods’ winning streak is now only second to Bryon Nelson, whose 11 straight in 1945 was once thought to be untouchable. The way Woods is playing that might no longer be the case. Woods won six in a row in 2000, a streak that Phil Mickelson stopped at Torrey Pines. But the world’s No 1 met little resistance in winning here.

He got some help from Andrew Buckle and Jeff Quinney, both of whom had at least a share of the lead on the back nine until stumbling in a span of about 15 minutes on a cool, breezy afternoon at Torrey Pines.

Charles Howell III provided the final challenge with three birdies in a four-hole stretch, but Woods answered with an approach to two-and-half feet on the 17th hole for birdie that allowed him to play it safe on the par-5 closing hole.

Woods finished at 15-under 273 for his 55th career victory, the fifth time he has started a new season with a trophy.