Danny Willett reflected on the "fine margins" of golf after missing the halfway cut for the second consecutive week at the Open de France.
Willett played one shot too many to make the weekend at last week's BMW International Open, and his erratic form continued at Le Golf National near Paris as he added a 72 to his opening 75 to close on five over par.
The Masters champion blamed his struggles on putting "as bad as we ever have" - an issue which crept into his game over the weekend of the US Open which resulted in him snapping the putter he had used so successfully at Augusta National.
Willett has not missed two straight cuts since the US Open and Open de France last year, after which he responded positively with a sixth-place finish in the 144th Open at St Andrews.
The world No 9 vowed to continue working hard to correct the problems ahead of his arrival at Royal Troon for this year's Open, and he is likely to devote extra time to the practice putting green.
After mixing three birdies with four bogeys on day two in France, the 28-year-old said: "The last three weeks we've putted as bad as we ever have and things haven't quite gone our way. When you keep shooting the worst score you can it's a tricky game.
"Just not done anything very well really. Missed a lot of putts, couple of bad shots that cost us and just one of those days again.
"Missed by one last week, probably going to miss by one or two this week - it's not like you are shooting 85 all the time. It's fine margins and unfortunately we were on the wrong side of them.
"On the last (the par-five ninth) you pitch on the green, end up six yards away and take three to get down. That's how it's been the first two days. You just have to keep working like you always do. Nothing else you can do."