Adam Scott frankly admitted wasting a great chance at a second major title after a case of British Open deja vu.
For a second straight year, Scott was left to rue a disastrous back-nine collapse of four consecutive bogeys when leading the final round battle for the Claret Jug.
Unlike 2012 when he dominated most of the tournament at Royal Lytham, Masters champion Scott crept steadily into contention through the week at unforgiving Muirfield and looked to have made his move at just the right time as he seized a one-shot lead with six holes to play.
But the Australian dropped shots at the next four holes as a fast-finishing Phil Mickelson raced away with the title.
While there was no guarantee he would have beaten an ultra-impressive Mickelson, who carded a superb five-under 66 to win by three shots at three-under 281, Scott knew he should have at least made it a contest.
"I think the disappointing thing is this one I felt I wasted a little bit," said Scott, who closed with a 72 to finish tied third at one-over with overnight leader Lee Westwood (75) and Ian Poulter (67), one behind Sweden's Henrik Stenson (70).
"I let a great chance slip," he said.
"I'm happy I put myself in with a chance. My game is in great shape. That's the good thing to take from it.
"But had I played a little more solid in the middle of that back nine, I could have had a chance coming in."
The defeat will be easier to swallow given Scott broke his major duck by becoming the first Australian to win the Masters in April.
But after surrendering a four-shot lead to lose to Ernie Els at last year's Open, 33-year-old Scott will carry a nagging feeling he should already have multiple majors to his name.
Not one to consider possible mental frailties within his game, Scott was staying positive and remained confident another big win could be as close as next month's US PGA Championship.
"I like where my game's at, you know, up there and contending for most of the week," he said.
"That's where I want to be. That's where I've got to keep myself. I believe I can win another one soon.
"If it wasn't this week, hopefully I'll do the same stuff at the PGA Championship and I can put my foot down there on the back nine and run away with it."
Starting the day in a tie for fourth, three shots behind Lee Westwood, Scott got off to a slow start as he dropped two shots early on.
But his broomstick putter finally warmed up and he surged to the front with a run of four birdies in five holes.
But rather than go on with it, he unravelled.
After a brilliant recovery shot on the 13th, his five-foot putt cruelly lipped out of the cup and the bogeys kept coming.
He putted off the green on 14, three-putted again on 15 and found the bunker on 16 as his hopes faded while Mickelson stormed away to claim his fifth major, leaving him a US Open away from a career grand slam.
Despite his fourth top-three finish in a major, Scott will drop from fourth to fifth in the world rankings after missing out on becoming Australia's first British Open winner since Greg Norman in 1993.
Fellow perennial major contender Jason Day entered the final round only a shot behind Mickelson but was never able to get himself in the hunt with a 77 dropping him to tied 33rd at nine over.
Geoff Ogilvy (T44) was a shot back ahead of Marcus Fraser (T54) and Peter Senior (T79).
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