U.S. Open Golf: Late Collapse 'Going To Hurt A Lot For A Long Time' – Tyrrell Hatton

Tyrrell Hatton's U.S. Open collapse "hurts a lot" after he failed to maintain a title challenge at Oakmont on Sunday.

Hatton finished tied for fourth on three-over, along with Cameron Young and Carlos Ortiz, after carding a two-over 72 in the final round, four shots behind winner J.J. Spaun.

At one point, Hatton held a share of the lead down the back nine, but he dropped out of contention with a bogey-bogey finish, taking three shots to get out of the rough at the 17th.

It was Hatton's best finish at a major tournament, beating his previous best of T5 at The Open in 2016.

"The finish at the end hurts a lot. What happened on 17 is going to hurt a lot for a long time," he said.

"It was the first time I've been in contention in a major, which was exciting, and unfortunately, I feel like through a bit of bad luck, I had momentum taken away from me, and it ultimately ended up not being my day.

"It's hard when you feel like the tournament then just escapes from you right at the end.

"Being the first time in contention at a major, to have that happen right at the end, as opposed to early in the week when you don't know if it's going to cost anything, I'd say at the end of the tournament it makes it hurt a lot more."

Robert MacIntyre had held the clubhouse lead at one-over par after a brilliant two-under 68 round on Sunday, but Spaun's birdie-birdie finish meant no play-off was required.

Watching on the television, MacIntyre could be seen clapping for Spaun when he sunk the 64-foot shot that earned him the title.

Following his round, the 28-year-old, who was bidding to be the first Scottish winner of the U.S. Open since 1927, was delighted that he had managed to keep himself in contention through to the very end on a weather-affected final day.

"I've got a chance to win a major championship," MacIntyre said while awaiting Spaun's finish.

"It's what I've dreamed of as a kid, sitting back home watching all the majors. Yeah, it feels unbelievable."