Golf - US Open: Lucas Glover held off late charges by fellow Americans Phil Mickelson and David Duval to claim his first major title at the weather-delayed US Open. Rory McIlroy, in a share of 10th place, was the leading Irish player.
Five strokes ahead of the field overnight with compatriot Ricky Barnes, Glover closed with a three-over-par 73 at a blustery Bethpage Black to triumph by two shots.
The 29-year-old, whose only previous PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 Disney Classic, kept his composure in nerve-jangling conditions to post a four-under total of 276.
Tour rookie Barnes, who slid out of contention with five bogeys in seven holes from the fifth, had to settle for a share of second place after signing off with a 76.
Also at two under were three-times major winner and crowd favourite Mickelson, who carded a topsy-turvy 70, and former world number one Duval, after a 71.
Ross Fisher eagled the par-five 13th to close to within a stroke of the lead before bogeying two of the last four holes for a 72 and fifth pace at one under.
Mother Nature finally stepped aside after a rain-soaked week at Bethpage to allow the golf to dominate as the year's second major came alive on the back nine.
Left-hander Mickelson spectacularly eagled the 13th to move into a tie for the lead with Glover at four under, striking a superb second shot to four feet and coolly knocking in the putt.
Roared on by huge galleries all week at his first major since his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer last month, Mickelson pumped his left fist in celebration.
His challenge faded, however, as he bogeyed 15 and the par-three 17th where his tee shot ended up in rough just short of the green.
Duval, bidding for his first title anywhere in the world since 2001, joined Glover atop the leaderboard with three consecutive birdies from the 14th.
He rammed in an eight-footer on the 16th green to get to three under before slipping back with a bogey at the tricky 17th where he horseshoed out from four feet with his par attempt.
Glover, who held a slender one-shot cushion with three holes to play, stumbled at the uphill par-four 15th after finding the first cut of rough on the right and three-putting for bogey.
However, he immediately recovered with his first birdie of the day at the 16th, rolling in a six-footer to regain the outright lead at four under.
Moments later, Duval's bogey on 17 gave Glover a two-stroke cushion and he parred the last two holes to clinch the title.
Triple champion and holder Tiger Woods, who failed to make the most of his birdie opportunities all week, closed with a one-under-par 69 to share sixth place at level-par 280.
Collated totals from the US Open, Bethpage Black, New York
(USA unless stated,
Irishin bold, par 70)
276Lucas Glover 69 64 70 73
278Phil Mickelson 69 70 69 70, David Duval 67 70 70 71, Ricky Barnes 67 65 70 76
279Ross Fisher 70 68 69 72
280Hunter Mahan 72 68 68 72, Tiger Woods 74 69 68 69, Soren Hansen (Den) 70 71 70 69
281Henrik Stenson (Swe) 73 70 70 68
282 Rory McIlroy(NIrl) 72 70 72 68, Mike Weir (Can) 64 70 74 74, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 70 72 70, Matt Bettencourt 75 67 71 69, Stephen Ames (Can) 74 66 70 72, Ryan Moore 70 69 72 71
283Anthony Kim 71 71 71 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 73 68 68 74
284Peter Hanson (Swe) 66 71 73 74, Michael Sim (Aus) 71 70 71 72, Graeme McDowell(NIrl) 69 72 69 74, Ian Poulter (Eng) 70 74 73 67, Bubba Watson 72 70 67 75
285Steve Stricker 73 66 72 74, Sean O'Hair 69 69 71 76, Oliver Wilson (Eng) 70 70 71 74, Lee Westwood (Eng) 72 66 74 73
286Francesco Molinari (Ita) 71 70 74 71, Vijay Singh (Fij) 72 72 73 69, Azuma Yano (Jpn) 72 65 77 72, J.B. Holmes 73 67 73 73, Stewart Cink 73 69 70 74, Johan Edfors (Swe) 70 74 68 74
287Jim Furyk 72 69 74 72, Kevin Sutherland 71 73 73 70, Camilo Villegas (Col) 71 71 72 73
288Adam Scott (Aus) 69 71 73 75, Todd Hamilton 67 71 71 79, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 75 68 73 72, Nick Taylor (Can) 73 65 75 75
289Dustin Johnson 72 69 76 72, Billy Mayfair 73 70 72 74, Tim Clark (Rsa) 73 71 74 71, Drew Weaver 69 72 74 74
290Kenny Perry 71 72 75 72
291John Mallinger 71 70 72 78, Thomas Levet (Fra) 72 72 71 76
292K J Choi (Kor) 72 71 76 73, Gary Woodland 73 66 76 77 Tom Lehman 71 73 74 74, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 73 67 77 75, Rocco Mediate 68 73 79 72
293Kyle Stanley 70 74 74 75
294Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 73 71 75 75, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 74 69 75 76, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 71 72 75 76
296Ben Curtis 72 71 74 79
297Trevor Murphy 71 69 77 80
301Fred Funk 70 74 75 82
