Shortly after finishing the 65th Masters, Phil Mickelson candidly reflected on coming up short in another major championship.

"Just erratic. I just was on a roller coaster," Mickelson said of his spotty putting Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.

Mickelson, who shot a 2-under-par 70 in the final round, finished at 275. His 13-under-par total was three strokes behind winner Tiger Woods and one back of runner-up David Duval.

"I just missed some crucial putts," he conceded.

As Mickelson recounted his putting woes in a post-tournament news conference, Woods was near the 18th green, wearing a green jacket and basking in another championship ceremony.

Mickelson's introspective words possibly revealed why those roles weren't reversed.

"I couldn't stay focused, I guess," Mickelson said. "Mentally, I'm not there for all the shots. I feel like I'm just slacking off on two or three. I'm not thinking through each shot, and it's cost me some vital strokes."

Woods, on the other hand, walked the fairways in total focus and sank every putt that mattered. He has done that often enough to win four consecutive major titles, and six overall. Woods' major total is now nine, counting his three U.S. Amateur crowns.

Mickelson says: "I don't expect to make every 4- or 5-footer. It's just not physically possible," displaying a mind-set with which Woods is not familiar.

After sinking an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 2, Mickelson three-putted No. 4. He dropped a 12-footer to birdie No. 5, then blew a short one on No. 6.

"It just seemed like it was a make-or-miss, make-or-miss," he said.

Mickelson bogeyed No. 11, then let a pair of birdie opportunities slip by on Nos. 13 and 14. On the par-5 15th, Woods showed a crack in his armor, 3-putting for par to remain at 15-under-par for the tournament.

Mickelson moved within a stroke of Woods with a birdie of his own at No. 15.

On No. 16, Mickelson's roller coaster went downhill for the last time. He placed his tee shot on the top tier of the par-3 green, then three-putted to drop two behind Woods.

"That was a very disappointing shot, because I needed to put some pressure on," he said. "That was a real killer."

On Saturday night, Mickelson said it was his turn to win a major.

"It's time to share," he said, referring to Woods' recent dominance.

On Sunday, though, Mickelson figured something out.

"When I look back on this week, if I'm going to win with Tiger in the field, I cannot make the mistakes I've been making," he said. "I've got to eliminate those somehow."