Double US Open champion Ernie Els had a chance to win his third US Open title but instead it was won by Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell after a round of three-over-par 74 at a breezy Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday.

The fact that the winner finished on even par for the tournament is testament to just how difficult the course played and when the wind gusty winds came out it made it even worse for the players to handle.

After three steady rounds of pure guts Ernie Els came out firing in the fourth to be tied for the lead at the sixth. At -3 Ernie looked like capturing his third US Open Title but his round was derailed at the difficult ninth and tenth where he went bogey, double bogey. Ernie hanged on to finish third overall.

McDowell became the first European since Tony Jacklin to end a 40-year title drought by Europeans at the US Open in tough scoring conditions. He was the only player under par after the first nine but dropped three shots on the more difficult back nine as the ocean winds strengthened in the late afternoon.

Others that had chances but never capitalized were Phil Mickelson, who had so much promise with a 66 in round two. Mickelson started with a birdie, missed a chance for another at the fourth, then generally got stuck on even par until the tenth. At the 14th, his chances faded when an 86-yard third shot rolled back off the green.

Tiger Woods looked like he had regained his form but on a day that he needed to produce the goods his long and short game looked scruffy. Woods bogeyed the first hole and never looked comfortable. Woods and Mickelson was tied for fourth.

Another European, France’s Gregory Havret finished second with scores of 73 71 69 72. Finishing runner up meant he jumped 201 places in the world rankings from 395th to 104th.

The next Masters is at St. Andrews and what is interesting is that the Europeans looks more and more a thread this year with Ian Poulter winning the Accenture Match Play, Rory McIlroy winning Quail Hollow,  Justin Rose taking the title at The Memorial, and McDowell now a capturing the US Open championship.