Martin Laird lifted by last-day thrill of Tiger Woods pairing

Scotland's Martin Laird says of playing with Tiger Woods when he is on a last-day charge at a major: "It doesn't get much better than that."

The problem for Woods, though, is that it needs to get better if he is to achieve the goal he set himself at the start of his career. That, of course, is beating the Jack Nicklaus record of 18 majors. Woods remains on 14 - and has been there since the 2008 US Open. Eleven majors have come and gone since then and that matches the longest run Woods has had without success, although to be fair he missed the first two through injury.

The 35-year-old came fourth at Augusta for the second successive year and, for all the excitement he created by coming from seven back into a share of the lead, his finish was disappointing. Woods three-putted the short 12th, then missed a four-foot eagle chance at the 15th. An inward 36 was five more than he had taken to the turn. "I should have shot an easy three or four under on the back nine and I only posted even," he said.

Still without a win of any sort since November 2009 - 22 events ago now - his next start is expected to be the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow on 5-8 May.

That was where he missed the cut by a shocking eight shots last year and where Rory McIlroy came storming through to win. His next major chance is the US Open at Congressional near Washington on 16-19 June. He was only 19th there in 1997 two months after winning his first major by 12 shots.

Laird came 20th in his first Masters and remains just outside the world's top 20.

"It was my first time playing with Tiger - what a theatre to do that," he said. "I'm just a little disappointed in how I played (a 73 to Woods' 67), but overall obviously happy with my week. It doesn't feel like I played my best but I finished 20th, so that's a sign that my game is in the right spot. He hit some of the best shots you'll ever see and the atmosphere was unbelievable."