By David Prior, PA Sport

Nick Faldo pondered a return to the drawing board after "horrible" putting had blown his chances of a third straight Open victory at Muirfield.

The 45-year-old six-time major winner was rarely in contention all week and his final-round 71 today gave him a finishing total of 289, five over par.

But afterwards Faldo conceded his generally good form had been wasted by his errant putting - and joked he could have even broken 60 today.

He said: "It's been a horrible week. I've been trying everything and I'm running out of ideas - it's been hard work.

"It was a real waste today - I played really nicely and could have shot 59!

"It's the worst I've putted all season. My putting's really turned round this year - and this has been a real nothing week.

"I've got to decide what I'm going to do - whether I'm going to work on it or not work on it."

Faldo lamented how the true "character" of Muirfield had been blown away in the appalling conditions yesterday - but claimed Tiger Woods' chance of a grand slam had not been lost forever.

"It was just a brutal few hours, but even before that the character of the links just went out of the window," Faldo added.

"It was a real shame - the links didn't come out this week. Guys were beaten yesterday by the rain, the wind and the cold.

"Mother Nature beat Tiger in the end, that was it. He was out in the worst of it, and not even Tiger can beat that.

"The grand slam can be done. You've got to have 16 days where everything's got to be right, but if there's anyone who can do it right now, it's him."