Tiger is so close to being back, it stings.

Everything was going his way when he stood on top of the leaderboard Sunday. It felt like the good ole days. He was rolling on Saturday with a third round score of 66 and kept things hot through the front nine on Sunday.

Then everything went south on No. 11. Very south. It all times up with when Tiger’s tee shot veered off right and hit a fan. He made double bogie on that hole, then made bogie on No. 12. Suddenly Tiger was trailing behind, and some of the hardest holes on the course still awaited him.

I’ve heard the FBI is launching a full-scale investigation on that fan he hit. Not really, but it’s amazing how Tiger lost the three strokes he needed to force a playoff when his ball hit him. There’s really nothing supernatural to it, of course, but telling myself the guy was cursed gives me a good chuckle.

Tiger managed a birdie on No. 14 and had a great look at birdie on No. 18, but it wasn’t enough. He finished T6, and an amazing weekend of golf left me a little disappointed.

All credit goes to Francesco Molinari, the first Italian to ever win a major. He started the tournament up and down, but had an amazing Saturday and kept himself together enough on Sunday to win it. Molinaria went 37 holes without a single bogie. That’s pretty clutch. My disappointment doesn’t come from his victory.

I just wish Tiger had kept his train rolling, and I imagine most of the golf world feels the same way. We were all glued to the television, hoping to see one of the greatest comebacks the sport had ever seen. The fact that it was Tiger meant everything.

Now we have a month until the PGA Championship. Will Tiger be in the mix? Who’s to tell. If I was a betting man, I wouldn’t put anything on him. I hope I’m wrong, but I think if he couldn’t seal the deal at The Open, he’s not going to ever be able to at another major.

I hope I’m wrong.