Troon, Scotland ? Zero for nine.

It’s a streak that would have been hard to imagine for Tiger Woods after he won the U.S. Open two years ago.

But after struggling on the back nine at the British Open on Sunday, Woods failed again in the major championships he once dominated. A player so used to winning now has to settle for being in contention.

Woods had only one birdie on the windy back nine of Royal Troon all week — the 16th Thursday — and none in the final round as he tried to mount a challenge.

“Well, I had a chance this week and felt like I really could have won this tournament, but obviously I didn’t win,” said Woods after a 72 left him seven shots behind Todd Hamilton and Ernie Els at 3-under 281.

Hamilton defeated Els by one stroke in a four-hole playoff.

“I got off to a nice start there, but on the back nine it went the other way,” Woods said.

A run seemed in the making at Royal Troon when Woods birdied Nos. 5 and 6, which put him just three strokes off the lead. But he missed a makable birdie putt at seven, ending his mini-charge.

“When I got through at six, I felt like, if I could post nine or 10 (under) or somewhere in there, I would have a great chance of winning or forcing it into a playoff,” he said. “Then I had that short putt on seven and missed it.

Tiger Woods looks at his ball on the 18th green during the final round of the British Open. Woods shot a 1-over-par 72 and tied for ninth Sunday at Royal Troon in Troon, Scotland.

“If I just would have played the back nine decent and shot 3-under par and posted a number early, you never know.”

When asked about his slump, Woods sounded more philosophical than peeved.

“It’s part of the process. It’s part of playing, part of competing,” he said. “I put myself there. I’ve had opportunities to win, particularly in the last two years here at this championship. I could have won.”

Asked to sum up his play, he replied: “I didn’t make any major mistakes, but I didn’t make enough putts. Hopefully, next time in the PGA, I will win the tournament.”