Tiger Woods's dream of a third consecutive British Open victory was sunk in the wet of Carnoustie on Sunday when he finished five behind playoff combatants Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington.
The world No 1 was aiming to become the first man since Australian Peter Thomson in 1956 to win three claret jugs in a row. But he never threatened and closed on two-under 282 after a final-round 70.
"It would have been nice if I had hit the ball a little better and just given myself a chance," Woods told reporters.
"I feel like I putted beautifully all week but I couldn't get them close enough ... and subsequently I was on the periphery of trying to win a championship.
"If I had posted six or seven under today I would have been right there in the mix."
Woods, 31, who has 12 major wins behind him, finished tied second at the U.S. Masters and U.S. Open earlier this year.