After all the hoopla, elaborate preparations and rich promise, the final round Sunday at the No. 2 Course was basically a bust.

What should have been another classic quickly faded into a bogey parade that buried the drama deeper than a wide-right drive into the deep Bermuda rough.

Other than long-shot champ Michael Campbell, a guy who probably never will win another major, the only excitement was supplied by Woods' 1-under 69.

The showing by Woods is just the latest indication that he's still best in class. He may not be as dominant as he was three or four years back, but all this talk about golf's "Big Five" rang hollow by nightfall.

Foremost in that group was defending champion Retief Goosen, who went to the last 18 holes with a three-stroke lead and just flat melted. His 81 has to rate as one of the most embarrassing collapses ever.

Well, wait a second on that. Ernie Els did shoot an 80 last year in the final round at Shinnecock Hills. That was after he opened 70-67-70.

Phil Mickelson came and went without being a factor after the first round. So much for him in another major.

Vijay Singh was no more than decent, finishing the tournament at 6 over after opening with a pair of 70s.

By the time it dwindled down to Campbell and Woods, the next lowest score on the leaderboard was 5 over.

I know the course was tough, but it could not have been that tough. Nick Price, at darn near 50 years old, was able to pull out a 72 on Sunday. What would Goosen have paid for that score?

Watching the final pairing -- Goosen's 81 and Jason Gore's 84 -- was like watching a third-flight quarterfinals match in a county championship.

At one point, Gore said Goosen, a South African, asked him if he had any knowledge of cricket. "He said in cricket, when they score runs, they're called 'overs' and that was the only the thing we were resembling."

The fans felt sorry for Gore, the longest shot on the board during the weekend. Friday and Saturday, he was the feel-good story of the golf year. But under the pressure of Sunday in the Open, he turned back into a 235-pound pumpkin. Bless his big heart and may good grace shine on his future, but Jackie or Leslie Gore couldn't have played much worse most of the day.

"It was very, very tough on that golf course today," Wood said. "You never have guessed that Goosen did what he did."

Nope. But the fact is that on the PGA Tour, Goosen has won four times. Two of those were Opens. The other two were the Chrysler Championship and the BellSouth Classic. That, partner, is not Tigerville.

As Campbell said of Woods' charge, "He's good. He's [darn] good."

Truth is, Woods would have won it had he just played a little better at the start of the round. He bogeyed the fairly simple first hole and then failed to birdie the 336-yard third. If he just goes par-birdie on those two, there's a playoff. And Michael Campbell vs. Tiger Woods over 18 holes today? You kidding? Tiger would have shot 70 and Campbell would have put gone Goosen. Campbell still would have had the big payday he needs more than Woods, but the Open title would have been Woods'.

What we saw in Woods was the kind of intensity that Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan used to bring to the final round of a big tournament. Woods didn't win, but he gave himself a chance. He sure as heck didn't surrender just because his opponent was a stubborn old golf course with no patience for birdies.

Nicklaus won 20 majors, but he also finished second in several others. That's the sort of focus no one other than Woods, among the big names, could produce Sunday.

And thank goodness for that. Otherwise, this U.S. Open would have completely turned into the U.S. Odd.

Campbell will go the British Open at St. Andrews with the trophy and the money he obviously needs. Tiger will go there as the best player this side of Mars. As usual.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.