By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent

World number two Phil Mickelson's wait for a first major title goes on after a third round 76 left him next-to-last in the Open at Muirfield.

And with a record of only one top 20 in the championship in his entire career the American left-hander is starting to think of using a different approach next year.

"I don't have a sense of 'back to the drawing board', but I may alter my schedule," said Mickelson, the golfer who for years now has carried the tag of "best player never to have won a major".

He added: "I'm going to look at alternative ways to prepare. I might come earlier next year, play the course (Sandwich in Kent) and also play the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

"I've just not played well this week. The course has been set up beautifully and it's probably my favourite of the Open courses, but I've just not gotten sharp with my game at all."

Mickelson sounded supremely upbeat about his chances on the eve of the event, having had a hole at the Titleist test centre in California adjusted to links-style conditions.

It made no difference. After an opening 68 he dropped back to two over in the second round, surviving the halfway cut with nothing to spare, and his performance today sent him tumbling to seven over.

On the opening hole of his second round Mickelson had hurt his elbow playing out of a patch of evil rough.

But he refused to blame that for falling out of contention. "I just got a little stinger, but it soon went and it's fine," he said.

There was little to play for but pride after he had five bogeys in an outward 41 and then two more early on the back nine.

But he did at least play the last five in two under to leave playing partner Matthew Cort, from Leicester, dead last on nine over after a 78.

Mickelson's best Open finish was 11th at St Andrews two years ago and his next best after that 24th.

Compare that to the three majors in America. Six top 10s in the Masters, including third the last two times, five tops 10s in the US Open, including second last month, and five top 10s in the US PGA, including second last August to David Toms when he recorded the lowest total in major history and had it beaten one minute later.