Star duo lament mistakes

For most of the final day at Augusta National the main focus was on the two best players in the current game as Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were paired together.

Both charged spectacularly into contention from seven behind and with two to go were only one behind - but both blew it.

And after winding up fifth Mickelson, who would have taken the world No. 1 spot for the first time in his life by winning, said: "I enjoyed the opportunity to play with Tiger and I enjoyed the chance to try to win a golf tournament."

Woods, after an eagle and four birdies, bogeyed the last two holes like Perry and in the end finished only joint sixth.

Mickelson, who had covered the front nine in a tournament record-equalling 30, double-bogeyed the short 12th after going in the water, missed a four-foot eagle putt on the 15th and a six-footer for birdie at the 17th, then bogeyed the last.

"I got it going, but the double at 12 certainly hurt," Mickelson added. "You've got to get through there with par. I just yanked it, just quit on it and the ball went dead right.

"Then at 15 I just made a tentative stroke - I didn't trust my read, I didn't commit to it. I love the fact that I shot 30 to give myself an opportunity to win. I'm certainly disappointed with the way I played the back nine, though.

"It was a very emotional day. The crowd made the highs even higher and the moans made the lows even lower."

Woods added: "I hit it so bad warming up. I was hitting quick hooks, blocks, you name it and then on the very first hole I almost hit it into eight fairway. It's one of the worst tee shots I've ever hit starting out.

"I fought my swing all day and and almost won the tournament with a 'band-aid' swing. It was just terrible - I don't know what was going on."