Round 4: THE PLAYERS

In the end, Lee Westwood didn’t play well enough to win. And if you do that, you don’t deserve to win. Those were the words of Lee Westwood, who began the final round with a one-stroke lead and ended it in a tie for fourth, four shots back.

“I played pretty average, didn’t strike the ball so well,” said Westwood, who shot a 2-over 74 that included a bogey on No. 14 and a water-ball double bogey on No. 17. “I struggled over the weekend. I felt like when the course was soft over the first couple of days and I wasn’t in control the first couple of days, but I could just about get away with it. As the course toughened up, you needed to hit more fairways, have more control of the golf ball, and I just didn’t have that today.”

Westwood still had his chances, but a “rubbish” 5-iron on the par-5 16th came up short of the green and landed in the bunker. He wasn’t able to get up-and-down for birdie and one hole later his fate was again sealed, this time with a tee shot that splashed down on the island green 17th.

“That was tricky with yardage, and I was caught right between a little 9‑iron and forcing a wedge,” Westwood said. “I just hit a wedge and it climbed up into the wind, and on that line it was never going to carry.”

With it went Westwood’s chances of yet another victory on a major stage and his first in the U.S. in more than a decade. It was only a month ago that he was in the same position, leading the Masters by a stroke going into the last day. Phil Mickelson stole the Green Jacket, though, with a final-round 67. This time it was Clark putting the pressure on with a 67 of his own ahead of Westwood.

“I’m disappointed, but it’s not something I’m going to pull my hair out over,” Westwood said. “I didn’t really feel like I played that great all week. I’ll keep working on the things I’ve been working on, just trying to get a bit better for next time.”

How many more next times will there be? — Brian Wacker