Special to PGATOUR.com

SAN DIEGO -- Having played on the Torrey Pines Golf Courses since he was 12 years old, Tiger Woods has hundreds of rounds of experience to draw on when he competes in the Buick Invitational.

But he's got an advantage even more decisive than that.

"Not too many courses do you hear a golfer say, 'It fits my eye.' Well this is one of them," Woods said. "I feel good at Augusta, too."

And?

"St. Andrews is not too bad either," Woods said with a smile. "I could be playing poorly going into an event, and once I get there it seems like I just feel comfortable."

Battling bumpy greens and a balky putter, Woods still won his record fourth Buick Invitational, beating Jose Maria Olazabal and rookie Nathan Green in a playoff after the three played 72 holes at 10-under 278.

Woods won on the second playoff hole, the par-3 16th, when he made a two-putt par and Olazabal missed a 4-foot par putt. Green was eliminated on the first playoff hole when he made bogey.

The victory was Woods' 47th on the PGA TOUR, and the Southern California native now has as many wins in his home state -- 10 -- as he does majors. He's won four of the last six times he's played in California and three of the last five Buick Invitationals. He's triumphed seven times in San Diego County, including one Mercedes Championships and two World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championships at La Costa.

Woods' California rival, San Diego native Phil Mickelson, who shot 73 in the final round and tied for eighth, has nine wins in the state and three in the Buick Invitational. But Mickelson hasn't won at Torrey Pines since 2001, the year before the South Course was redesigned for the 2008 U.S. Open.

"Phil and I have had a lot of success here," Woods said. "We've battled together here many times, and we both love this golf course. I know I love it, and he said the same. It's awfully fun.

"Today we were battling out there. We were one of many, but still, we had a bunch of fun trying to somehow win the golf tournament."

Seeing Woods win again at Torrey Pines, it's hard to not to start projecting toward the '08 U.S. Open. Especially when the Buick Invitational produced a dramatically bunched up leaderboard -- 11 different players held the lead in the final round -- and brutally tough scoring conditions (only six players managed to shoot in the 60s on Sunday).

The pins were tucked and at 7,630 yards the course was set up nearly to its full length -- longer than any course on TOUR, including Castle Pines at altitude. Prime example -- the par-4 12th, which plays into the wind, was 511 yards Sunday, and Woods was the only player in the field of 82 to birdie it.

Woods hadn't won at Torrey Pines with a score worse than 15-under 272, and his highest closing score had been a 68. But between struggling with his putting stroke and fighting the little hops he was getting on the poa annua greens, it was a struggle to keep his confidence and composure.

Woods three-putted three times in the final round, and he missed a 2-foot putt on the fifth hole that cost him a chance at a victory in regulation.

It seems his local knowledge is most neutralized on the 4-year-old greens.

"I had bad speed to begin with, but I was trying just to lag the ball up there close," Woods said. "After seeing the first two greens, you just can't leave yourself any putt over 3 feet here. You've got to hit the ball stony so you have tap-ins."