AP
Tiger worked his way up Bethpage's leaderboard but ultimately ran out of holes.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Tiger Woods closed out the 109th U.S. Open on Monday with his third-consecutive sub-par round but departed Bethpage Black wondering what might have been. He fired a final-round 1-under-par 69 and tied for sixth place at even-par 280, four strokes behind winner Lucas Glover.
Three factors held him back: Woods played catch-up after shooting a first-round 74; he never got comfortable on the greens, averaging 30 putts per round; and he played the tough par-4 15th hole in a combined 4-over par.
"That's just what it is," a frustrated Woods said afterward. "I shot over par coming in and had a lot of work to do, and I gave myself a chance going into today. As well as I hit it all day today and to miss that many putts, I've missed them all week, so that's just the way it is."
Final-round play resumed at 9 a.m. ET with Woods and playing partner Michael Sim teeing off on the 226-yard par-3 eighth hole. Woods was 1-under for the round and even-par for the tournament, seven strokes behind co-leaders Glover and Ricky Barnes, who were paired together nine groups back in the final twosome.
After watching the previous twosome -- Stewart Cink and Sergio Garcia -- play, Woods hit a 3-iron on the right fringe and faced a lengthy birdie putt. He did well to two-putt for a par.
At the par-4 ninth, Woods missed a 22-foot birdie putt, running his first putt four feet past the hole. He converted and made the turn in 1-under 34, seven strokes behind Barnes.
Woods dropped a shot at the par-4 10th, where he drove into the first cut of the right rough, then came up short of the green in two. A disgusted Woods slashed his third shot 25 feet short of the hole and two-putted for a bogey.
After a two-putt par from the front fringe at No. 11, Woods two-putted the par-4 12th from 20 feet. Needing to make something happen, he hit a good drive at the par-5 13th, then reached the green in two from 240 yards with a long iron. Woods gave his 28-foot eagle attempt a good run, but the ball slid low and he settled for a birdie.
He added another at the 127-yard, par-3 14th, hitting his tee shot six feet below the hole. Woods pumped his right fist after reaching red figures -- 1-under -- for the first time in the tournament.
Now very much in contention, Woods hit a perfect drive at the uphill par-4 15th, one of the toughest on the course, and flagged his approach shot right at the pin. However, the ball carried too far, flew the green, and he was unable to save par.
"I made my best swing all week on 15 today," Woods said. "It was just a little 5-iron. I had to flight it just a touch, and I held it, and it was just about a foot left of the flag.
"I couldn't believe I hit it that far, and then when I got back over there, it was kind of a natural lie; it was going into the green a little bit.
"I think I played it [chip shot] probably a little too conservative, because if I hit it too hard, it's gone, especially into the green. You can catch one that comes out quick. I just didn't go with it."
Woods gave himself another good birdie chance at the par-4 16th, but missed from 16 feet below the cup. He hit a beautiful 4-iron eight feet below the pin at the 211-yard, par-3 17th, but missed his putt left.
Following a long drive at the par-4 18th, which was shortened 50 yards due to wetness in the fairway, Woods hit a sand wedge 20 feet past the hole and two-putted for a par.
"I gave myself so many chances and made nothing," said Woods, whose combined 3-under-par total in the third and fourth rounds topped the field.
Woods said losing here hurt more than at the Masters Tournament this year, where he also struggled on the greens and tied for sixth.
"Without a doubt," he said. "I striped it this week. I hit it just like I did at Memorial, and unfortunately I didn't make anything."
For the third straight day, Woods hit 10 of 14 fairways in regulation, and for the second day in a row, hit 12 of 18 greens. All told, he hit 48 of 72 greens -- 67 percent -- and 38 of 56 fairways -- 68 percent.
Putting was his downfall. Woods used 31-30-29-30 during the tournament.
"I hit so many putts that my good ones are not going in, and then my bad ones aren't even close," he said. "It is a little bit slow and bumpy, but you have to be committed to hitting it that hard, and I left a lot of putts short. And then when I tried to hit it harder, I gunned it past the hole. I didn't make the adjustments the right way."
Despite his disappointment and the long, wet week, Woods would welcome a return visit to Bethpage Black for another U.S. Open.
"Absolutely, no doubt," said Woods. "This is a great golf course. It's just that the USGA got the short end of the stick on the weather."
Woods will return to competition July 2 when he hosts the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.