Claiming a top 10 finish at the Scottish Open within a week being told he was in the Open Championship for the first time ought to have left Russell Knox beaming with delight but instead he looked sick as he reflected on his performance yesterday.
The 30-year-old American-based Scot had gone round with Matt Kuchar as his fellow US Tour player made his title bid and although he ultimately finished three shots adrift of his playing partner he felt he had more than matched him.
"I played great to be honest," he said.
"I played well enough to be at 11 under. All the holes I hit iffy shots I got punished which is the way it should be I guess, but I missed seven putts inside 10 feet probably... no chance.
"I think I hit it as good as Matt if not better today. He just made the putts and played good towards the end for sure, but I know deep down I had my chances and I just didn't take them."
There was one highlight when he rolled in a 50 foot birdie putt at the 12th to undo some of the damage done with a double bogey at the 11th, but it offered little consolation in overall terms.
"That was the longest putt I've made probably ever, but the ones you have to make to keep the momentum, the eight, 10, 12 footers after you've hit a great shot in there, you've got to make those on Sunday and I just haven't quite been able to do it."
Raised playing on the links at Nairn Dunbar he seems well set for his Open debut.
"I love it. I wish we could play links golf every week," he said.
Just a shot further back, registering his best finish of the season, Knox's better known compatriot Paul Lawrie also seems in better fettle in spite of having suffered some frustration on the greens.
"The four days have been better overall. I hit a lot of good shots. There were a lot of positives to take from this week," he said.
"I didn't hole my fair share of putts but I don't suppose 14th or 15th is miles away from what I deserve."
The week was also something of a triumph for one of the stable of golfers now playing out of Lawrie's golf centre in Aberdeen, Tartan Tour stalwart Greig Hutcheon out-performing many of the European Tour regulars in playing all four rounds, citing his highlight of the tournament as the birdie he made on Friday to, as he put it: "Make the cut and get paid."
The 42-year-old was rightly proud of his efforts, adding: "It is my national open. I was hoping to shoot a really good score one day as I felt I was capable of doing that (but) at my age it was great to be here. I don't play in this environment a lot. I have no complaints at all."
Meanwhile yet another of the north-east contingent could receive a boost in the next day or two since an injury to Swedish golfer Alex Noren means that Richie Ramsay has now moved up to first reserve for the Open, his prospects looking even better because South African golfer Tim Clark is thought to have left applying for a visa too late.
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