To say putting cost Geoff Ogilvy the Masters is far too simplistic.
But to say it severely dented his chances is right on the mark.
The Victorian walked off Augusta National today mentally scarred by the club’s famously quick greens that consigned him to 48th at three over after a final-round 74.
At 21 shots behind runaway champion Jordan Spieth, it’s a long bow to suggest the flat stick was the only difference.
But when you consider that the Texan was third best in the field with 108 putts and Ogilvy dead last with 127, that 19-shot differential looks very menacing.
Ogilvy (74-70-73-74) finished with extremely mixed feelings after hitting the ball beautifully from tee to green, but having almost no feel around the hole.
It was perhaps best summed up by a four-putt bogey on the par-five 15th after a clinical five-iron second shot to within 6m on the par-5.
“I’m feeling pretty flat,” Ogilvy said.
“I hit the ball well enough to contend (but) I just didn’t hole anything I should.
“And there were a couple of horrific three-putts and a four-putt today on the 15th when I putted it three feet past, missed it and another three-footer on the way back.
“I wanted to just walk off. I didn’t really know if I’d have to lay up one of the short putts just to get it in the hole.
“It’s pretty depressing.
“It’s pretty annoying when you’ve hitting the ball well and playing the course properly.
“It’s like a different sport Jordan Spieth is playing to me on the greens.
“The way he’s putted here he’s got to be in the conversation for putting the best anyone ever has.”
Ogilvy’s travails were not atypical among the Australian contingent, none of whom broke par on a trying final day.
World No.6 Adam Scott was going along without too many issues until he dumped his tee shot and subsequent third from drop zone into Rae’s Creek in front of the 12th green and took a quadruple-bogey seven.
He ended at one over after a 74, alongside fellow Queenslander John Senden, who ended with an even-par 72 to reach their tie for 38th.
The affable veteran was building nicely until he, too, dumped two shots in the water – only this time on the par-5 13th that he eagled yesterday before today’s agonising double-bogey seven.
And Jason Day, who looked so ominous in round one, made six bogeys between holes two and 13 before closing with two late birdies to shoot a flat 75 and finish T28 at one under.
Antonio Murdaca missed the two-over cut on Friday after rounds of 78 and 73 to finish seven over.