Lee Janzen - great finish (Allsport).

Lee Janzen shot one of the best final rounds in US Open history at San Francisco's Olympic Club to win the title for a second time.

And once again, as it was at Baltusrol in 1993, his fellow American Payne Stewart was forced to accept second place after a last-day collapse from five clear of the field.

Janzen, with British caddie Dave Musgrove at his side, shot a 68 to win by a single shot with a level par total of 280.

Stewart, the 1991 champion, still led by three with nine holes to play, but the strain of being pacesetter from the very first morning finally caught up with the 41-year-old.

Needing a birdie at the 347-yard final hole to force an 18-hole play-off Stewart hit his approach to 20 feet, but could not emulate Mark O'Meara at the Masters two months ago.

The putt curled from right to left, but he did not quite give it enough pace and it fell away.

At that Janzen, watching on television, dissolved into tears just as had in 1993.

And outside his dad - on Father's Day - punched the air in celebration.

Missing that putt meant a 74 for Stewart and the runner-up spot in a major for a fourth time.

He has also finished second twice at the British Open, to Sandy Lyle in 1985 and Nick Faldo in 1990.

Another American, Bob Tway, was third three strokes further back and Zimbabwean Nick Price fourth.

Worksop 25-year-old Lee Westwood produced his best performance in a major, a 71 giving Europe's current number one joint seventh place with David Duval and Jeff Maggert.

"I thought when I started with two birdies I had a good chance (of winning)," he said.

"It was exactly what I was after. But I hit a bad iron on the next and was unlucky at the fourth.

"I had a lot of bad bounces this week - and I can remember only one good one."

Earlier, Colin Montgomerie had even more serious problems with hecklers, but still produced a 69 to finish an unhappy week on 10 over par.

Irishmen Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke had 72s to be 13 over and 15 over respectively.

Janzen's comeback was the biggest in the event since Johnny Miller recovered from six behind to win in 1973.

It appeared written in the stars from early in the round. At the fifth his drive was caught up in a tree, but fearing he would have to hit another the ball suddenly dropped out and he chipped in to save his par.

"It turned the whole day around,'' he said.

At the 11th, having closed the gap to three, his approach bounced into the clinging rough, but amazingly hopped out and ran down to eight feet, from where he sank the birdie putt.

"That's when I started thinking I was in the hunt,'' added the 33-year-old.

Stewart was cracking by this time, but was having no such good fortune.

At the 12th his drive finished in a filled-in divot, his next found sand and he bogeyed to fall back into a tie.

Another bogey followed, but he did birdie the 14th to level again.

At the 468-yard 17th, Janzen had taken bogey, double bogey, double bogey in the first three rounds.

But when he needed it most he parred, hitting two superb shots onto the green and taking two putts.

Behind him Stewart drove into rough on the long 16th, went into another bunker with his third shot and failed to get up and down.

Now he needed a birdie, but it was never likely at the tough 17th and it did not happen at the 18th.

"I'm so glad this championship has an 18-hole play-off because I couldn't play another hole today,'' added Janzen.

"I love this course - it's one of the finest shot-making, strategy courses we play.''

Stewart said: "I didn't go out and do what I needed to win. I didn't hit enough fairways or greens.

"`I scrambled well, but all credit to Lee. I didn't play good enough to win and got beat by an outstanding golfer.''

For Montgomerie, last year's runner-up, a US Open of bitter disappointment ended with a 69, his best round of the week.

But he flew back to Britain with no happy memories of the week, only bad ones.

Out of the hunt after a third round 77, Montgomerie was still being accompanied by two police officers on the final day in a bid to deter hecklers. But it did not work.

On the sixth tee one spectator yelled out "Find the bunker'' before Montgomerie teed off and was escorted away.

The Scot, who had resumed 14 strokes behind leader Payne Stewart, applauded and after playing the hole made a point of coming over to me and saying: "Did you hear that? It's been like it all week.''

Worse was to come, however. He glared at someone who commented about a putt that rolled eight feet past the hole on the seventh and then became involved in a exchange with another spectator who shouted out ``Go home Monty'' on the ninth tee.

Montgomerie, who had trouble in Washington last year on his way to coming second in the championship, turned and asked: "Who said that?''

He then repeated the question and when the spectator owned up Montgomerie asked why he had made the remark.

"Because of the Ryder Cup,'' the man said.

"There was nothing wrong with the Ryder Cup except that we won,'' said Montgomerie and playing partner Tom Kite, captain of the American team last September, repeated: "There was nothing wrong with the Ryder Cup.''

Despite the distraction Montgomerie birdied the hole for an outward 34 and finished an inward 35 with a 20-foot birdie putt to post a 10 over par total of 290, his worst in seven appearances at the championship.

"`I've pulled myself into the top 30, which is a delight,'' said Montgomerie, not meaning it at all. He actually finished 18th come the close of play.

"I've had happier weeks. I seem to be blamed for winning the Ryder Cup, but I had 11 very strong individuals with me.

"`Most of the crowd are with me, but the small minority are the vocal ones.

"I don't think any more could have been done and it's not soured my feeling towards coming here.

"I always enjoy the US Open because it's such a mental battle. I'll always be a fan of that.

"Tom was a great support to me today and so was the USGA official with us.''

David Fay, executive director of the United States Golf Association, has already said there will be a review of the sale of alcohol at the event in view of the loutish behaviour of some spectators.

But Sunday's incidents happened in mid-morning rather than in late afternoon and drink could not be blamed.

It just appears that golf is starting to attract a rowdy element and, as Fay put it, Montgomerie is "a lightning rod''. In other words, he attracts it.

Kite commented: "I always enjoy playing with Colin. He's a good player and a nice man.

"There were a couple of unwarranted remarks, but they were isolated things and for every one bad spectator there are probably 600 or 700 good ones. Make sure you write that.

"`People all over the world over-step the balance and get a little zealous. Fortunately for us it's very isolated.''

Montgomerie's wait for a major goes on. The last 15 majors have produced 15 different winners, but he has not been one of them. Next up the Open at Birkdale next month.

Final collated totals (US unless stated; (x) denotes amateurs)

280 L Janzen 73 66 73 68 (£332,000)

281 P Stewart 66 71 70 74 (£195,000)

284 B Tway 68 70 73 73 (£125,000)

285 N Price (Zim) 73 68 71 73 (£87,000)

286 S Stricker 73 71 69 73, T Lehman 68 75 68 75

287 D Duval 75 68 75 69, L Westwood (Gbr) 72 74 70 71, J Maggert 69 69 75 74

288 J Sluman 72 74 74 68, P Mickelson 71 73 74 70, S Appleby (Aus) 73 74 70 71, S Cink 73 68 73 74

289 P Azinger 75 72 77 65, J Parnevik (Swe) 69 74 76 70, (x) M Kuchar 70 69 76 74, J Furyk 74 73 68 74

290 C Montgomerie (Gbr) 70 74 77 69, L Roberts 71 76 71 72, T Woods 74 72 71 73, F Lickliter 73 71 72 74, J M Olazabal (Spa) 68 77 71 74

291 C Martin 74 71 74 72, G Day 73 72 71 75

292 D A Weibring 72 72 75 73, P-U Johansson (Swe) 71 75 73 73, E Romero (Arg) 72 70 76 74, V Singh (Fij) 73 72 73 74, C Perry 74 71 72 75, T Bjorn (Den) 72 75 70 75, M Carnevale 67 73 74 78

293 M O'Meara 70 76 78 69, P Harrington (Irl) 73 72 76 72, S Pate 72 75 73 73, B Zabriski 74 71 74 74, J Durant 68 73 76 76, J Huston 73 72 72 76, L Porter 72 67 76 78, C Dimarco 71 71 74 77

294 J Leonard 71 75 77 71, S McCarron 72 73 77 72, F Nobilo (Nzl) 76 67 76 75

295 D Clarke (Gbr) 74 72 77 72, T Kite 70 75 76 74, J Acosta 73 72 76 74, J Sindelar 71 75 75 74, O Browne 73 70 77 75, J Nicklaus 73 74 73 75

296 E Els (Rsa) 75 70 75 76, M Reid 76 70 73 77, S Verplank 74 72 73 77, B Faxon 73 68 76 79

297 J Johnson 74 73 79 71, F Couples 72 75 79 71, T Herron 75 72 77 73, J Daly 69 75 75 78

298 M Brooks 75 71 76 76

300 S Simpson 72 71 78 79

303 R Walcher 77 70 77 79

305 T Sipula 75 71 78 81