Tiger Woods has said that his touch on the green deserted him during his final round of the Open Championship at Muirfield.
The 14-time Major champion, who posted a three-over 74 to finish on two-over-par, added that Phil Mickelson's sparkling 66 helped soften the blow of losing.
"I had a hard time adjusting to the speeds," he told reporters. "They were much slower today, much softer. I don't think I got too many putts to the hole.
"I didn't really play that poorly. I just couldn't ever get the pace of these things. I think if it does feel any better, it is that Phil got to three-under.
"If he would have posted one, it would have been a different story. I think a lot of us would be a little more ticked than we are now, but he posted three - that's a hell of a number."
Woods has not won a Major title since beating Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff for the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2008.
Michael Penkman
