Golf: Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson were today both reflecting on what might have been after Darren Clarke's surprise victory in the Open Championship at Royal St George's.

Mickelson wiped out his five-shot deficit to Clarke with three birdies and an eagle in the first seven holes of the final round, while Johnson started the day one behind and was only two adrift with six holes remaining.

However, Mickelson then dropped four shots in six holes on the back nine, while Johnson carved his second shot out of bounds on the 14th to run up a double-bogey seven, the American duo eventually finishing just three behind.

"When I saw Darren wasn't going to make a mistake I had to start trying to make birdies, and that's when I ended up making a couple of bogeys," said Mickelson, who improved his Open record to two top 10s in 18 appearances.

"The (par) putt at 11 was just a stupid mistake. There was nothing to it, it was just a dumb mental error. I just lost focus there and it hurts to throw shots away like that when I'm behind."

For Johnson, a closing 72 meant he had let a third chance to win a major slip away following last year's heartache in the US Open and US PGA Championship.

The 27-year-old took a three-shot lead into the final round of the US Open at Pebble Beach before crashing to a closing 82, Clarke's fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell going on to win. And he held a one-shot lead playing the 72nd hole of the US PGA at Whistling Straits before making a bogey five and then being penalised two shots for grounding his club in a bunker before playing his second shot.

"I played well enough maybe to get it done today," Johnson said. "I probably should have hit three-wood (for his second shot on 14). I'm two back and out here you don't really get too many opportunities to make birdie, so it was definitely a 'go' situation.

"If I had to do it over again I'd hit a three-wood instead of a two-iron. It really just took all my momentum out, but I had a great week. I came down with a little bit of illness, wasn't feeling that well, so I didn't know what to expect. But I fought all week and I didn't have my best stuff this week for sure.

"The more I put myself in this situation, the better. The more I learn, the more I understand my game and what happens in this situation."