Fighting finish from defending champ McDowell

GRAEME MCDOWELL ended his reign as US Open champion with head held high and a top-20 finish at Congressional Country Club last night.

The Portrush golfer had started the day on level par at the par-71 Blue Course after rounds of 70, 74 and 69 and he added another 69 to finish at two under for the championship, tying for 14th place a year after claiming top spot at Pebble Beach in even par.

There had been problems with his putting all week but the rest of his game had been in good order, finding fairways off the tee and getting onto greens in regulation. And after a steady start to his final round he kicked on from the sixth hole, with birdies at that par-five, the par-three seventh and the par-five ninth to make the turn at three under.