TURNBERRY, Scotland (AP) — The obligatory handshakes were over, and there wasn't much left for Tiger Woods to do other than sign his scorecard and tell his pilot to fuel up the Gulfstream.

The chef had to be notified, too, because Woods had worked up quite an appetite kicking away his British Open chances in a stunning collapse on the Scottish coast.

Greatest player in the world. Maybe the greatest golfer ever.

Gagging it up in front of everybody but the Queen.

Thankfully, Queen Elizabeth was off watching cricket so she didn't have to see the mess Woods made at Turnberry. She probably was waiting to come on Sunday, when she and the rest of Britain presumed he would be holding the claret jug trophy.

Instead, Woods was heading home early for only the second time in 49 major championships as a pro.
 
Heading home from a major championship a 59-year-old recovering from hip replacement surgery is leading. A tournament where a 16-year-old amateur from Italy easily made the cut.

Sure, Turnberry was hard. But it wasn't that hard.

Tom Watson proved that with two rounds that were 10 shots better than Woods. Watson, who is eligible for retirement pay in three years, was playing just a few groups in front of the great one, so there was no difference in conditions.

Steve Marino played when the weather was even worse, and he's never even seen a links course before this week. Yet he was also 10 shots clear of Woods, the supposed master of the links.

Bookies thought Woods would run away with this tournament.

Instead, he was last seen running away with two rounds left to be played.

All because of a six-hole collapse. So cancel the Nike commercials. Hold the texts to Roger Federer.

And give a nod to Jack Nicklaus, too. Woods has had a great run but winning majors is a tough business, and Nicklaus has still won more than anyone.

The only thing more shocking about Woods missing the cut for the only time since the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, when his father had just died, was how it happened. He was cruising along the coastal holes of Turnberry making pars when a misplaced 3-wood off the tee on No. 8 set off a chain reaction – including a lost ball – that Woods could not bring under control until the 14th hole.
 
‘‘It was just problem after problem,'' Woods said. ‘‘I just kept compounding my problems.''