Tiger Woods thinks about what might have been after missing a birdie putt on No. 18.

Instead, he'll lament the missed opportunities, but also take away the knowledge that another major championship awaits the games most recognizable player.

Woods finished two shots behind winner Payne Stewart, tied for third place. And as the drama unfolded on the 18th green at Pinehurst No. 2, Woods could only wait and watch.

His birdie putt to put pressure on the leaders had stayed out of the hole, as had a crucial par putt one hole earlier. Now the thoughts of what could have been were racing through his mind, and he was relieved when Stewart's dramatic par putt for victory dropped into the cup.

The missed putts on the last two holes were suddenly not as important.

"I was hoping he (Stewart) was going to make it," Woods said. "I was praying to God he would make it. ... I'm glad, because I can sleep a little better."

Woods made his best run yet in five U.S. Open appearances. Although he stayed close to the lead all day, he could never make the crucial putt or avoid the big mistake that would have put him on top of the leaderboard.

One came at the par-4 11th hole, where Woods three-putted for bogey, missing a 2-foot par putt. That dropped him three strokes out of the lead.

"That was a putt I should have made," Woods said. "It's unfortunate that I didn't. But if you look at my entire week, I made a lot of putts to save myself. A lot of putts from 15 feet and in just for pars, and without those, I wouldn't have been in the position I was coming down the stretch."

But two of Woods' best putts came after his miss at the 11th. He dropped a 20-footer for birdie at No. 14, then became just the third player to hit the 16th green in regulation, draining a 15-foot birdie putt. It was only the 11th birdie of the week at the hole.

Now he was just a stroke out of the lead, but put his drive at the par-3 17th in a bunker. He hit an excellent recovery, but could not convert the 8-foot par putt.

"It was short, but not that short," he said. "It's very easy to miss that."

Woods saw his 35-foot birdie putt at the last barely miss, ending his chance for victory.

But Woods, 23, who has nine PGA Tour titles and is second in the World Ranking to David Duval, promised that a U.S. Open title could be in his future.

"This golf tournament has been a tournament I've always wanted to win, because I've won three U.S. Juniors and three U.S. Amateurs," Woods said. "That would be pretty neat to do. And I had a good chance this week. It proves to me I can do it.

"I know I can win a Masters, I know I can win a British Open, because I've come close. It makes me feel like I can definitely win a U.S. Open. I know I have the game, I know I have the mind. It's just a matter of time."

Bob Harig, who covers golf for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a column every Tuesday for ESPN Golf Online.