ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Tiger Woods has made the turn on Jack Nicklaus.

Ten majors down, eight to go.

And had it not been for 11 feet worth of putts at Pinehurst, Woods would be gaining on Bobby Jones' Grand Slam, too.

A wire-to-wire victory at the British Open leaves no doubt that Woods has regained his status as the world's preeminent golfer, a Great Big One to the Lesser Four. Goodbye 10-major slump, goodbye swing questions. Hello a new era of dominance?

"That's why I bust my butt so hard at home to get to this point," declared Woods, who was doubted even after he beat Chris DiMarco in a playoff at this year's Masters.

"I've been criticized for the last couple of years. Why would I change my game? This is why: First, second and first in the last three majors, that's why."

Woods yesterday joined the Golden Bear as the only other player in history to win all four majors at least twice and as the second American to win two Claret Jugs on the Old Course. At 29, he has now bagged his 10th major and is well ahead of the pace set by Nicklaus, who won his 10th at 32. It's the third year in which Woods has won at least two majors and he can make it three for the second time at next month's PGA at Baltusrol in New Jersey.

He also completed the Jack Farewell Slam, taking every trophy in the tournament in which Nicklaus had a ceremonial goodbye.

"It's pretty cool," Woods said. "I've kind of gone one past halfway. Jack's got 18, now I have 10. Man, I tell you what — when I first started playing the Tour, I honestly didn't think I'd have this many majors before the age of 30. No one ever has."

No one, other than Nicklaus, has had this much talent. With his 2-under 70 yesterday for a 274 total, Woods may have fallen five shots short of the record 19-under total he posted here in 2000 and his five-shot margin over Colin Montgomerie was three less than he had five years ago, but there never was much doubt about this one. From the time Woods, now 10 for 10 when he has led a major after 54 holes, established his lead, the week had a familiar feeling.

The crowd, which had been hoping in vain that Montgomerie would prevail, stood and accorded Woods the appropriate respect as he strode up the 18th fairway, hat in hand. Woods routinely knocked in a par putt on the green, then raised his arms in triumph and hugged his caddie, Steve Williams. There was a hug for his mother, Kultida, and a hug and kiss from his wife, Elin, and during the presentation ceremony, he got misty-eyed when he said hello to his ailing father, Earl, watching back home.

No doubt, Earl enjoyed it as his son never relinquished control. In conditions described by Nick Faldo as "icy," the big names on leaderboard couldn't stand the heat.

Jose Maria Olazabal and Montgomerie made token runs at Woods, getting within one shot a couple of times. But the back nine was all Tiger and the clincher came within about a one-minute span after the lead groups had cleared the loop and headed back toward the old town.

First, Olazabal, who had driven in between the gorse bushes along No. 12, missed a 10-foot par putt.

Thirty seconds later and a hole ahead, Monty slid a 6-foot par putt by the hole. Just a moment later, Woods drove in the final nail by tapping in a 3-footer for birdie.

Ollie and Monty spiraled to rounds of 74 and 72, respectively, and Woods completed his 70, a round bettered by only 10 players Sunday. Seattle native Fred Couples was among those 10, finishing his 68 before the leaders reached the turn and tying Olazabal for third place at 280.

"He's setting the bar so high and he's so strong," Couples said of Woods. "He's always the guy to beat."

Woods' score easily could have been lower. He almost holed shots on Nos. 6, 7 and 8 and came away with only three pars when he bounced one off the flagstick and missed two 6-foot putts.

"Today was the best I felt swinging the golf club all year. There are some courses you just feel comfortable on and this is certainly one of them," he said. "This is as special as it gets — the home of golf. This is something you dream about. And to have won it twice and complete my career Grand Slam twice, it doesn't get any sweeter than that."

With the Open returning here every five years and with Augusta National a regular stop, Woods will have plenty of chances to add to his haul.

"He knows as well as everyone else does that he's on his way to Jack Nicklaus' record, a record that we said no one would ever come close to, never mind be broken," Montgomerie said.

From here on in, he's playing the back nine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.