By Neil Silver, PA Sport

Mark O'Meara gave a satisfied chuckle after beating Tiger Woods in the Open, then tipped his best friend to one day win all four majors in the same season.

Former Open champion O'Meara, who lifted the Claret Jug at Birkdale in 1998, shot a final-round 68 to finish on one-under par for the tournament, one stroke better than Woods.

World number one Woods was bidding to clinch the third of all four majors in the same season, having already won this year's US Masters and US Open, but must now wait another year before having a crack at the Grand Slam in the same season.

"I beat my buddy Tiger, so hey!" said O'Meara. "I know Tiger feels let-down because he would love to win the Grand Slam in one year. But he is still 26 and if anybody can do it, he can.

"We talked about it last night after a tough day for both of us, but he is the greatest of great champions and the way showed that the way he conducted himself on the golf course.

"I am probably his closest friend and told him how proud I was of him out on the golf course yesterday. He was struggling but at least he was behaving in the proper manner and giving it his all.

"His goal today was to get it back to even par and it doesn't surprise me that he did because the guy can achieve a lot of things when he needs to. He shot six-under par today and you have to take your hat off to him because 81 and then 65 was a pretty impressive comeback."