FILE PICTURE: Louis Oosthuizen. Picture: Petri Oeschger/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images.
Oosthuizen was the only one of six South Africans in the field to make the cut and at one stage was leading the tournament in the second round before a triple bogey at the par-five 15th threw him back.
He shot an even-par 72 on Sunday to remain on three-over for the tournament – well off the pace being set by overnight leaders Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth.
The 2010 Open champion played Saturday’s third round with an upset stomach that had seen him having to go on a drip, but he had recovered by Sunday.
“I have no idea what it was, probably just something I ate Saturday morning,” he said.
The 31-year-old started strongly on Sunday, birdying the first two holes.
Although he dropped a shot at the sixth, he pulled one back on the seventh to be two-under at the turn. Two bogeys on the back nine without a birdie saw him finish on 72.
“I started well and played a good front nine, but then had just a very cold back nine,” he said.
“I am disappointed as I really wanted to post a number today. Maybe two, three under.”
He said that after his start he thought that he could do it.
“I certainly had the opportunity to do it, but I just had a bad back nine,” Oosthuizen said.
“I made two bogeys on 11 and 12 and I am not really going to come back from that.”
The Mossel Bay-born golfer said that it has been a disappointing tournament for South Africans.
“Obviously we all wanted to do well but that is golf. You have those weeks where it just does not happen.
“I am pretty sure the guys (the other South Africans) are very disappointed not to be here on the weekend, but that is how it goes sometimes.”
He said he was not surprised at the performance of 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, who went into the final round sharing the lead.
“Jordan is a great player. I am surprised though that a rookie is doing so well.
“But you know, the class of player he is, he is just playing well.
“Especially today, with the greens being a little bit softer than yesterday I can see him performing.”
– Sapa
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