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Ross Fisher's performance at the US Open saw him come agonisingly close to becoming the first European since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to lift the coveted trophy.

The 28-year-old from Surrey played sublime golf from tee to green throughout the week, but was consistently frustrated by his inability to come to terms with the greens at Bethpage Black.

"It's been a week of frustration," Fisher admitted after the championship.

"Tee to green I've hit it as well this week as I ever have in my life.

"I'm looking forward to getting back home - and working on my putting!"

Though Fisher came closest to bringing the trophy back across the Atlantic, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy put in a brilliant final round performance that at one stage looked like getting him into contention for an unlikely victory.

McIlroy's ball striking gave him several opportunities both on Sunday night and Monday morning at Bethpage, but the 20-year-old superstar-in-the-making missed a string of makeable putts in a final round of 68 that could easily have been three or four shots better. His efforts were still good enough for a two-over-par aggregate of 282 and a share of tenth place, however.

"It's been a great week, a long one, but I feel like I have done very well," the Northern Irishman said. "I have made a great start to my Majors career - 20th in the Masters. So it's been a good start."

"I feel I have the game to compete in Majors and those results have given me a lot of confidence."

McIlroy said he was flying to Munich for the BMW International and would take a week off before the Loch Lomond event and then on to the Open at Turnberry.

"I don't know if I have a better chance to win a Major on a links course because I have a very high ball flight," he said.

"If a links course is calm I feel I would have a very good chance.

"Hopefully Turnberry will be benign this year!"

McIlroy did not get much of a taste for the New York area since there were so many early mornings and sunset finishes because of restarts due to rain delays.

"All I have seen this week is the golf course and bed but that's just how it has gone - I couldn't do anything else," he said, though the spirited New York crowd provided memories.

"We were on the 10th tee on Saturday evening, me and Anthony Kim. The crowd are all roaring and shouting," McIlroy said about the late start for the third round after the galleries had enjoyed a long day of refreshment.

"Kim hits his tee shot, then they announce me. They start chanting 'Rory-Rory-Rory-Rory' so I can't tee off for about five minutes.

"While I am waiting I see this guy out the right corner of my eye. He walks about five yards, throws up because he has had so much to drink and then he runs back to the rope and starts shouting again. Now that is a loyal supporter!"

Playing even better than McIlroy in the final round was Ian Poulter, whose 67 was the best final round at Bethpage Black and pulled him in to a tie for 18th - and left him rueing his 74 and 73 in the second and third rounds which had left him too much to do.

McIlroy's countryman Graeme McDowell had looked impressive throughout the week, shooting 69 in the worst of the first round conditions before adding a 72 and a 69 to leave himself level par going into the final round.

But he never got himself going on the last day at Bethpage, racking up three bogeys and a double in a round of 74 which left him in the group at four over par with Poulter.

Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson had threatened pulling off an unlikely victory at several stages during the week, but six bogeys in a final round of 74 saw him drop back to five over par and in a tie for 23rd place.

Toby Keel / Reuters