Padraig Harrington had the fewest putts of anybody in the Masters - by one from Justin Rose and Lee Westwood. But little good it did any of them.

After a double bogey at the 17th, Rose fell from second to fifth. By going in the water at the 15th three days out of four Harrington was seventh. And Westwood was only 30th.

With Luke Donald and Paul Casey sharing 10th, Ian Poulter 13th and Henrik Stenson 17th the local Augusta Chronicle reckoned it warranted the following headline: ''Europeans turn in solid performances.''

But Europeans do not just want ''solid'' any more. They want wins. And now it is 30 majors without one.

One or more of them climbing into contention and not coming through is becoming a habit now. A nasty habit.

Just look at the last four majors.

In the United States Open at Winged Foot last June Kenneth Ferrie shared the lead with a round to go and finished sixth. A par four at the last hole would have given Colin Montgomerie victory, but he double-bogeyed it. Harrington could have played the last three in one over to be in a play-off, but he bogeyed them all.

A month later at Hoylake Sergio Garcia was in the last group on the last day, one behind Tiger Woods. He shot 73 and was fifth.

In the US PGA Championship at Medinah in August Donald and Stenson were two of the four halfway leaders and Donald shared top spot with Woods with 18 holes to go. He shot 74 and came joint third with Garcia.

This time Rose shared the lead the first day, with David Howell a stroke behind. After 54 holes Rose was tied second, Harrington fourth (with winner Zach Johnson), Bradley Dredge seventh, Donald eighth.

Each of them went backwards, debutant Dredge most alarmingly with a worst-of-the-day 83.

The most disappointing aspect of all was that this was one of those rare occasions when Woods did not leave the rest to play for second.

Johnson, ranked 56th in the world, was the winner. He was the one to push Woods into second place just as then world No 73 Rich Beem did at the 2002 US PGA, followed by world No 80 Michael Campbell at the 2005 US Open.

Ben Curtis was ranked 396th when he lifted the Open at Sandwich four years ago and Todd Hamilton was 169th when he won at Troon a year later.

Yet the only member of last year's magnificent Ryder Cup-winning side to have tasted major glory remains Jose Maria Olazabal. The second of his triumphs was eight years ago, just before Paul Lawrie's Open victory that remains Europe's last win.

All the rest can do is look ahead to the next chance, the US Open at Oakmont in June - the place where Montgomerie was in a play-off in 1994, and lost.

But hope springs eternal for those who put in ''solid performances''.

Rose, who did at least maintain his challenge longer than three years ago, when he led at halfway then shot 81, commented: ''My resilience was impressive. Every time I made a bogey or a double bogey (three of those in the last round) I bounced back.

''I kept my head up, I kept grinding and I kept believing in myself. I said to myself 'let's try to make this the best comeback in Masters history.'

''I felt very calm and comfortable and hit some great shots under pressure. I really surprised myself with how in control of my emotions I felt."

Harrington, last season's European No 1, now has five fifth places and a seventh in the majors.

''I walked away from this tournament knowing that I'm capable of winning the Masters,'' said the Dubliner. ''I felt great all day.''

Donald added: ''I'm encouraged by my play, but I'm disappointed because I did think this might be my chance to win.''

At least he, Rose, Harrington, Casey and Poulter have already booked their places in next year's Masters.

But they wanted more. They wanted a green jacket.