Woods bid for 15th major foiled by Yang, poor putting

Tiger Woods of the U.S. reacts after missing his par putt on the 17th hole during the final round of the 2009 PGA Championship golf tournament at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, August 16, 2009.

CHASKA, Minnesota (Reuters) - Final round putting was the reason for Tiger Woods's first failure to win a major he led going into the last day, the world number one said on Sunday.

"I made absolutely nothing. Terrible day on the greens and I had it at the wrong time," Woods said after his three-over-par 75 left him in second place on five-under-par at the U.S. PGA Championship, three shots behind South Korean Yang Yong-eun.

"I hit the ball so much better than my score indicates. I hit it great all day.

"I was certainly in control of the tournament for most of the day, but just didn't make anything today. I hit the ball great off the tee, hit my irons well. I did everything I needed to do except for getting the ball in the hole."

Woods, who began the round with a two-stroke lead, missed three birdie putts from 10 feet and another from 12 feet.

He also missed a 12-foot, par-saving putt at the 17th that would have hauled him back into a tie for the lead.

Still, Woods led or shared the lead until the 14th hole.

Yang's spectacular chip-in for eagle at the short par-four 14th gave him a one-stroke lead over Woods, which boosted him to his maiden major -- and the first by an Asian man.

The final margin of victory was deceiving as Yang led by one stroke going to the 18th, where he birdied to complete a two-under 70, while a demoralised Woods bogeyed.

The result ended Woods's 14-for-14 record in cashing in final-round leads in the majors.

Woods said his stunning defeat was a combination of his putting woes and Yang's solid play.

"It's both. I was in control of the tournament most of the day. I was playing well, hitting the ball well. I was making nothing, but still either tied for the lead or ahead.

"And Y.E. played great all day. I don't think he really missed a shot all day. He just made that mistake at 17 (three-putt bogey). Other than that, he hit it great all day.

"It was a fun battle. Unfortunately, I just didn't make the putts when I needed to make them."

The American, who took 33 putts for his highest total of the event, said the championship turned on holes 13 and 14.

"At 13, I stuffed it in there," said Woods, who shared the lead with Yang at the time.

"He made a mistake, hit it in the left bunker. He blasted out. I missed my (10-foot birdie) putt. He made his.

"And then he chipped in on the next hole.

"A lot of different things, a lot of different scenarios could have happened in those two holes. But I didn't execute. I didn't make the putt, and certainly he did."

In the end, Woods believed he let his 15th major crown slip from his grasp.

"I felt I played well enough to win today and the frustrating thing is I didn't make any putts," he said.

"All the other 14 major championships I've won, I've putted well for the entire week and today was a day that didn't happen."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)