New putter daliance ends in disaster for Tiger Woods

World number one Woods switched to a new putter this week to better cope with slower greens at the Old Course but on Sunday switched back to the older putter he had used since 1999 after struggling through the first three rounds.

"I just didn't feel comfortable with my speed, so I went back to my old putter," Woods said. "I just felt that my speed was off and just (went) back to something where I know how it comes off."

In the end it made little difference. Woods fired a level-par 72 in the final round to finish 72 holes on three-under 285, well off the pace at the same links layout where he won by eight strokes in 2000 and five shots in 2005.

"I had one of the worst putting weeks I've ever had," Woods said. "I had like nine three-putts for the week, so consequently I'm pretty far down the board."

Still winless in the wake of a sex scandal that made him a laughingstock and destroyed his iconic image, Woods was pleased at a warm reaction by spectators as he walked onto the 18th green out of contention.

"It was very warm," Woods said. "The people have been fantastic all week."