Shane Lowry returned to the game's elite on Sunday night after a second-placed finish at the US Open.
The Clara native started the third round four shots clear of Dustin Johnson. He ended three shots behind the eventual winner.
Now ranked 25th in the World, the joint-second placed finish is Lowry's second top-10 in a row at the US Open. It is the first time he has finished in the top-five of a major.
"You know, it’s not easy to get yourself in a position I got myself in today. It was there for the taking and I didn’t take it", Lowry admitted after the round.
Shane Lowry: "If you would've given me second at the beginning of the week, I'd have taken it. But I'm here right now and I'm not happy."
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) June 20, 2016
He only recorded one birdie in his round of 76. Only playing partner Andrew Landry, shot a worse final round (78) of those who finished in the top-30.
"I tried my best to win this thing. It’s difficult to describe the way I felt. My bad holes, they probably got a little bit quick. Everything happened quickly. But you know, that’s what happens when you play a few bad holes. They’re kind of over before you know it. You’d like to have them back again."
Here is Lowry's birdie on 12 #USOpen https://t.co/jurT7CauAd
— Newstalk Sport (@NewstalkSport) June 19, 2016
Despite the missed opportunity, Lowry hopes he will learn from his experience of leading a major on the final day.
"I always say it’s only a mistake if you don’t learn from it. I’m sure I learned a lot from today, and I don’t know what it is yet, but when I’m in that position again, and I know I will be, I’ll handle it a little bit better."
He only has three-and-a-half weeks to wait to try and end of major heartbreak, at The Open at Royal Troon.
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