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Emerging golf star Lucas Herbert has upstaged former world No.1s and major winners Adam Scott and Jason Day to finish top Australian at the US Open in New York.
Lucas Herbert has enhanced his breakout season to salvage a career milestone from Australia's most disappointing US Open campaign in almost 20 years.
In his best showing at a major golf championship, Herbert carded a final-round two-over-par 72 to finish as the top Australian as big-hitting American Bryson DeChambeau blitzed the field at wretched Winged Foot.
In upstaging former world No.1s Adam Scott and Jason Day and fellow US PGA Tour star Cameron Smith, Herbert shared 31st spot in New York.
After missing the cut on his major debut at the 2018 US Open, Herbert's performance this year bettered his tied 51st at last year's British Open at Royal Portrush.
The 24-year-old finished his tournament with a 12-over 72-hole total, having been under par for much of his Sunday championship round.
Herbert, who won his maiden professional title at the Dubai Desert Classic in January, birdied the third and ninth holes, only to close with three successive bogeys.
Scott, Day and Smith all finished two shots behind Herbert at 14 over, in a tie for 38th at the season's second major.
Smith and Day closed with 72s, with Scott signing off with a 75.
Not since the US Open and British Open 19 years ago has no Australian cracked the top 30 at a major.
But underlining the difficulty of the devilish Winged Foot layout -where Australian Geoff Ogilvy won the title in 2006 with a five-over total - DeChambeau was the only player to finish in red numbers this week.
He was also the only player to break par on Sunday, closing with a brilliant 67, his low round of the tournament, for a six-shot victory over fellow American Matthew Wolff (75).
"Yeah, it was obviously difficult. I mean, I felt like we had three pretty difficult days," Day, a two-time runner-up who boasts five top-10s at the US Open, said.
"Obviously Thursday was a lot tamer - there was a lot more opportunities.
"Today it's really firm and the greens are quick, and they've got some bounce to them, too."
HOW THE AUSSIES FARED AT THE US OPEN AT WINGED FOOT
292 (+12): Lucas Herbert 72-74-74-72
294 (+14): Adam Scott 71-74-74-75, Jason Day 72-74-76-72, Cameron Smith 71-73-78-72
WINNER
274: (-6) Bryson DeChambeau 69-68-70-67
