MAMARONECK (New York), June 19: Australia's Geoff Ogilvy benefited from crumbling finishes by Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie to secure his maiden major title in gripping fashion at the 106th US Open on Sunday.

Surprise winner of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, Ogilvy held his nerve over the closing stretch to complete a two-over-par 72 and a one-shot victory in searing heat at Winged Foot.

“I never expected to win it outright,” a smiling Ogilvy told reporters after becoming only the second Australian to claim the US Open, after David Graham in 1981. “Funny things happen sometimes.”

The 29-year-old did well to save par on the last two holes, chipping in from rough just off the green on 17 and getting up and down from short of the green at the last to post a five-over total of 285.

Masters champion Mickelson, bidding for a rare third consecutive major crown, wasted a two-stroke lead after 15 holes, an aggressive approach at the death pushing him back into a three-way tie for second.

Wayward off the tee all day, the American left-hander dropped three shots over the last three holes, hitting the roof of a hospitality tent with his drive at the last and bouncing backwards off a tree with his second shot, to return a 74.

Level with Mickelson were Briton Montgomerie, who had three-putted for a double-bogey at the last and a closing 71, and 2003 champion Jim Furyk, who blew a playoff chance by missing a four-footer on the final hole for a 70.

The first Australian to claim a major since Steve Elkington in the 1995 PGA Championship at Riviera, Ogilvy prevailed at the highest-scoring US Open since Hale Irwin won the famed ‘Massacre at Winged Foot’ in 1974 with a seven-over-par total.

Final round scores:

285 – Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 71, 70, 72, 72.

286 – Phil Mickelson (US) 70, 73, 69, 74; Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 69, 71, 75, 71; Jim Furyk (US) 70, 72, 74, 70.

287 – Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 73, 69, 74, 71.

288 – Kenneth Ferrie (Britain) 71, 70, 71, 76; Nick O'Hern (Australia) 75, 70, 74, 69; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 71, 74, 70, 73; Jeff Sluman (US) 74, 73, 72, 69; Steve Stricker (US) 70, 69, 76, 73; Mike Weir (Canada) 71, 74, 71, 72.

289 – Luke Donald (Britain) 78, 69, 70, 72; Ryuji Imada (Japan) 76, 73, 69, 71; Ian Poulter (Britain) 74, 71, 70, 74.

290 – Paul Casey (Britain) 77, 72, 72, 69.

291 – Robert Allenby (Australia) 73, 74, 72, 72; David Duval (US) 77, 68, 75, 71; David Howell (Britain) 70, 78, 74, 69; Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 70, 75, 74 72; Arron Oberholser (U.S.) 75 68 74 74.

292 – Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 72 74 71 75; Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 76, 72, 70, 75; Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 75, 72, 73, 71; Tom Pernice Jr (US) 79, 70, 72, 71; Adam Scott (Australia) 72, 76, 70, 74.

293 – Craig Barlow (US) 72, 75, 72, 74; Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 74, 73, 74, 72; Ernie Els (South Africa) 74, 73, 74, 72; Sean O'Hair (US) 76, 72, 74, 71; Ted Purdy (US) 78, 71, 71, 73; Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 75, 71, 73, 74.

294 – Woody Austin (US) 72, 76, 72, 74; Bart Bryant (US) 72, 72, 73, 77; Scott Hend (Australia) 72, 72, 75, 75; Steve Jones (US) 74, 74, 71, 75; Rod Pampling (Australia) 73, 75, 75, 71.

295 – Stewart Cink (US) 75, 71, 77, 72; Jay Haas (US) 75, 72, 74, 74; Charles Howell III (US) 77, 71, 73, 74.

296 – Tommy Armour III (US) 79, 70, 74, 73; Chad Collins (US) 76, 71, 72, 77; John Cook (US) 71, 78 ,74 ,73; Jason Dufner (US) 72, 71, 78, 75; Fred Funk (US) 71, 75, 73, 77; Stephen Gangluff (US) 76, 73, 77, 70; Bo Van Pelt (US) 72, 75, 73, 76; Lee Williams (US) 75, 73, 73, 75.

297 – Philip Archer (Britain) 72, 72, 75, 78; Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 72, 74, 73, 78; Fred Couples (US) 73, 74, 71, 79; Charley Hoffman (US) 76, 70, 78, 73; John Holmes (US) 74, 73, 75, 75; Kent Jones (US) 73, 74, 73, 77; Graeme McDowell (Britain) 71, 72, 75, 79; Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 74, 72, 76, 75.

298 – Darren Clarke (Britain) 73, 72, 79, 74.

299 – Ben Curtis (US) 78, 71, 77, 73.

301 – Kenny Perry (US) 77, 71, 79, 74.

302 – Jeev Milkha Singh (India) 73, 76, 77, 76; Skip Kendall (US) 73, 75, 76, 78; Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 74, 72, 79, 77.

303 – Ben Crane (US) 77, 72, 74, 80.

305 – Tim Herron (US) 73, 76, 79, 77.—Reuters