Unlikely major champion Lucas Glover snapped a four-year victory drought on Monday by winning the 109th US Open, forcing US compatriot Phil Mickelson to settle for second once again.

Glover struggled to a three-over 73 final round at wind-whipped Bethpage Black to finish 72 holes on four-under par 276 and defeat countrymen Mickelson, Ricky Barnes and David Duval by two strokes.

“It was a test of patience for sure,” Glover said. “It was tough. I was very pleased to get in where I was. Maybe something was on my side this week.”

Glover, whose only prior PGA title came at the 2005 Disney Classic when he holed out from a bunker, dropped a five-foot birdie putt at the 16th hole and parred in while Mickelson and David Duval each stumbled with bogeys on 17.

“That was huge. To get one close and sneak it in was pretty good momentum,” Glover said. “Two pars at the end was pretty tough but I managed to do it.”

Three-time major winner Mickelson, playing in his last event before wife Amy begins breast cancer treatment next month, endured the heartbreak of a record fifth runner-up finish at the US Open and second at Bethpage after 2002.

“It was a lot of ups and downs for me, fighting to get back in it. It was an emotional five days,” Mickelson said. “I want to win this tournament badly. I feel I will have more chances.”

Mickelson eagled the par-5 13th to match Glover for the lead but bogeys at 15 and 17 doomed his trophy bid.

“I put myself in a great position to close it out but I didn’t finish it off,” Mickelson said. “Certainly I’m disappointed but now that it’s over I have more important things going on.”

Duval, the 2001 British Open champion who has not won in nearly eight years, collected his first top-10 finish since 2002.

“I’m pleased with how I played but disappointed at where I finished. I came here to win,” Duval said. “It may be arrogance but it’s where I feel like I belong.”

Duval, playing on a last-chance PGA exemption, was happy to see some reward for the work he has done to rebuild his game.

“I have some improvements to make still but I’m pleased with the work I’ve put in,” he said. “I’m pleased to have some semblance of a result even though I came up one spot short.”

It was a tournament that will go down as one the wettest and most disrupted in US Open history with the course twice being declared unplayable on Thursday and Saturday due to torrential rain.

The 60 players who made the cut did manage to start their final rounds late Sunday but darkness quickly fell and the US Open extended into Monday for just the second time in its history.

World number one and defending champion Tiger Woods, starting the round nine strokes off the pace, briefly mounted a challenge getting to within four strokes of the lead at the turn.

But bogeys at the 12th and the tough par-four 15th doomed his effort as he came in with a 69 and a level-par total of 280.

Best of the Australians was Michael Sim (72) tied for 18th at four over.

© AFP 2012

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