Disappointed Lowry promises to bounce back

Shane Lowry struggled to hide his disappointment after losing out to Dustin Johnson on the final day of the US Open at Oakmont but says he will learn from the experience.

The Offaly man enjoyed a four-shot lead heading into the final round but could only manage a closing 76 to lose out by three shots to the American.

Lowry eventually finished in a tie for second place alongside Americans Scott Piercy and Jim Furyk with a one-under aggregate while Johnson posted a 69 to claim a dramatic victory.

Speaking afterwards, Lowry admitted he was bitterly disappointed after becoming the first person since the late Payne Stewart back in 1998 to fail to turn a four-shot advantage into victory on the final day at the US Open.

"It's not easy to get yourself in the position I got myself in today. It was there for the taking and I didn't take it. I'm bitterly disappointed," Lowry said.

"But you can only learn from your mistakes. I always say it's only a mistake if you don't learn from it.

"I'm sure I learned a lot from today and I don't know what it is yet, but when I'm in that position again, and I know I will be, I'll handle it probably a little bit better."

Johnson, by contrast, was naturally pleased with the outcome after surviving the confusion around a belated one-shot penalty imposed on the 12th for an incident on the fifth green.

"I knew I was swinging well and I just kept thinking it's just me and the course. I'm playing against the course. I can't control what anyone else does," he said.

"So I just tried to hit golf shots, tried to hit it on the correct side of the hole and two-putt. I hit two great shots on 18. It (his approach) might be one of the best shots I ever hit. So that was very nice, to have a short putt like that to get it in the house.

"It feels good. Feels really good. Feels well deserved. I've had a lot of opportunities that I didn't quite get it done.

"There's a little voice in the back of your head, is it ever going to happen? Well yes, it did happen. So this one's definitely really sweet."

By: Kieran O'Daly