Ogilvy secures dramatic maiden major title

MAMARONECK, New York, June 19 (Reuters) Australia's Geoff Ogilvy made the most of crumbling finishes by Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie to secure his maiden major title at the US Open.

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 yesterday.

The 29-year-old did well to save par on the last two holes, chipping in from 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 victory, wasted a two-shot lead with three holes to play and slipped back into a three-way tie for second place.

Struggling off the tee all day, the American left-hander bogeyed two of the last three holes, hitting the roof of a hospitality tent with his drive at the last and bouncing off a tree with his second shot, to close with a 74.

Level with Mickelson were Briton Montgomerie, who three-putted the last for a 71, and 2003 champion Jim Furyk (70).

The title appeared Mickelson's for the taking after he hit a superb approach to four feet at the par-four 14th to set up his third birdie of the day.

He then parred the next hole to remain at three over for the tournament, with three players behind him in a tie for second place on a day when saving par was at a premium.

NERVES JANGLING Six players held at least a share of the lead in the final round and the nerves were jangling as they negotiated the closing stretch.

Mickelson had started the day as co-leader with playing partner Kenneth Ferrie of Britain but fell back with three bogeys in five holes from the fifth.

The American briefly held the outright lead after sinking a curling 20-footer to birdie the fourth before wayward tee shots cost him dearly.

He found trouble in thick rough at the par-five fifth, advancing the ball only a yard with his third shot before running up a bogey-six, and also dropped at the seventh and ninth.

That left him at four over, and in a four-way tie for second place behind the pacesetting Ogilvy.

However, the Australian stumbled with his third bogey of the day at the par-four 11th before Mickelson once again broke clear of the pack, rolling in a 10-footer for birdie at the same hole.

Mickelson bogeyed the par-three 13th after finding a bunker off the tee to slip back into a three-way tie at the top before again pulling ahead on 14.

Then came the stumbling finish with the more experienced Mickelson and Montgomerie falling out of the title hunt while surprise package Ogilvy triumphed.

REUTERS PDS RAI0538