Long flights give Oosthuizen time to reflect

By Patrick Johnston

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - After coming tantalisingly close to winning the U.S. Masters, Louis Oosthuizen spent every minute of his near 30-hour journey to Malaysia thinking about what he could have done differently at Augusta, the South African said on Wednesday.

The 2010 British Open champion lost in a playoff to American Bubba Watson at the Masters late on Sunday before completing the lengthy journey across continents to compete in the European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned Malaysian Open.

His compatriot, friend and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel alongside him, the weary South African said the long journey had allowed him time to reflect on his green jacket near miss.

"Every second on the flight I was thinking about what I would have done different," the gap-toothed 29-year-old told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

"But I think there probably isn't much I would have done different. I felt like I gave it my all, didn't throw anything away, played the best I probably could have coming down the stretch in a major and I was outplayed.

"Being that close to the green jacket is tough to get over it immediately but I think time will heal it and it just gives me a bit more confidence when I put it on eventually that I will be over it."

(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty/Peter Rutherford)