The last time Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) got sick before the start of a final round, he blew away the field to win his fourth consecutive Bay Hill Invitational last year.

His stomach ailments Sunday at the Masters Tournament didn't prove to be a lucky charm this time around.

Though he shot his second under-par round for the tournament (71), Woods still finished 11 shots behind winner Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) .

Woods said a sandwich he ate after he arrived at Augusta National Golf Club made him ill, causing him to throw up at the first green.

He threw up again heading down No. 2 and alternated between hot and cold flashes before "lightening the load a little bit."

"I ate something at lunch here and it didn't agree with me. But I got it out," Woods said, drawing laughs from a crowd gathered around him after his round.

"I was feeling great when I got here. Had a quick bite to eat, then started feeling sick on the range and progressively got worse."

In 2003, Woods became sick the night before the final round of Bay Hill after eating some pasta prepared by his now-fiancée, Elin Nordegren. After vomiting to the point where he had the dry heaves during a rainy, cold Sunday final round, Woods still shot 68 to finish 19-under par.

For most of the Masters, Woods' game was the main thing that appeared out of sorts. His 2-over total tied his highest score for the tournament since first playing it as a professional in 1997. He shot the same score last year.

But once again, the three-time champion maintains his game is close to being what it was two years ago, when he won the last of his eight majors at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black on Long Island.

"I tell you, I'm pretty close. I didn't make any putts this week at all," Woods said. "Any putt that I had within 10 feet for birdies I didn't make them, and you got to make those."

Woods has been criticized in some quarters for ending his longtime relationship with swing coach Butch Harmon.

Many have beseeched him to go back to the man who helped refine a swing that won six majors in a three-year stretch from 2000 to 2002.

When asked about that possibility, Woods turned defensive.

"I explained that a long time ago about Butch and I, so I'm not going to do it again," he said.

Woods does plan to follow through on doing four days of military training at Fort Bragg, N.C., this week.

He reports to duty today at the base where his father, Earl, a Green Beret who served two tours in Vietnam, received his training.

Now if only the Army's chow can agree with him better than his lunch at the National.

"I kind of hope so," Woods said. "I don't need to lose any more weight."

Reach Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.