American Lee Janzen captured his first major championship at Baltusrol as the European jinx on the US Open remained for at least another 12 months.

The 28-year-old from Florida, who had missed the cut in three previous US Opens, showed a steely nerve to withstand the challenge of former champion Payne Stewart.

Janzen took a leaf out of Tom Watson's book in 1982 by producing a brilliant chip-in at the 16th hole for the birdie two which finally put paid to Stewart's title charge.

The man from Kissimmee in Florida then birdied the 72nd hole from eight feet to equal Jack Nicklaus's US Open record of 272 set at Baltusrol 13 years ago.

And Janzen also became the first player since Lee Trevino in 1968 to win the title with all four rounds in the sixties - 67 67 69 69.

It was at the 17th at Pebble Beach that Watson holed from the rough to beat Jack Nicklaus, and Janzen judged his stroke of genius to perfection, steering his delicate pitch from a downhill lie on a greenside bank into the hole from 40 feet.

Stewart, who had drawn level with Janzen at the 13th hole and looked poised to claim his third major, saw the writing on the wall at the 14th where Janzen recovered from a bogey by converting a 20-foot birdie chance.

Janzen showed clever course management at the last, electing to lay up from the right rough and he sent his third shot soaring onto the green to eight feet. The putt went unerringly into the centre of the cup to earn Janzen the first prize of 290,000 dollars (£193,333).

Stewart, who shot a level par 70, had to settle for the runner-up position two shots behind Janzen with Craig Parry (68) and Paul Azinger (69) sharing third place on 277.

However, it was a sweet and sour day for England's Barry Lane, whose superb closing 69 earned him the position of top European on 281, one over par.

Lane finished tied for 16th - a position which gets him an invitation into next year's US Masters but not a return to the US Open, where only the leading 15 players are invited back.

An emotional Janzen, who played the last five holes in three under par, admitted he ``didn't feel comfortable'' as he weighed up his second shot out of the rough and over water to the par five last.

He said: ``I had visions of Payne making an eagle so I went back into my bag and brought out the sand iron and laid up. I hit a four iron with a touch of fade 200 yards for my third and it got a lucky bounce. I couldn't have done it again if I'd tried.''

Lane, who had played superbly all week, three putted the last for his second sub-70 round of the week, and knew instantly that it might prove costly.

That was precisely the case. If he had holed his five footer for a birdie, it would have moved the Engishman up to joint 11th place and the assurance of an invitation to Oakmont next year.

``That was a sour way to finish'' said Lane, who nevertheless acquitted himself superbly all week on his US Open debut. ``It was a shame about th three putts but I don't think a top 20 finish is too bad for my first US Open.

``I thought it would be an absolute nightmare but I was pleasantly surprised and I've enjoyed my week,'' he added.

Colin Montgomerie, third last year, finished in a tie for 33rd place after a final round of 68 while Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam shared 52nd and Nick Faldo a remote tied 77th.

Runner-up Stewart accepted defeat gracefully and paid his conqueror a huge compliment.

He said: ``He is a true champion who is going to be around for a long time. He has an excellent game and a fine temperament.

``He made a great birdie at the 14th and a super one on 16 but at the 18th he showed what kind of player he is. He saw it wasn't the right shot to hit it over the water. That was the mark of a true champion.''

Stewart, who has seen two titles snatched from under his nose in the last few weeks, added: ``I've no regrets. I never shot over par all week and if I keep knocking on the door one day I'll burst right through.''

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

272 L Janzen 67 67 69 69 (£193,333)

274 P Stewart 70 66 68 70 (£96,666)

277 C Parry (Aus) 66 74 69 68, P Azinger 71 68 69 69 (£52,370 each)

278 S Hoch 66 72 72 68, T Watson 70 66 73 69 (£32,486 each)

279 E Els (SA) 71 73 68 67, R Floyd 68 73 70 68, F Funk 70 72 67 70, N Henke 72 71 67 69 (£24,700 each)

280 L Roberts 70 70 71 69, J Sluman 71 71 69 69, J Adams 70 70 69 71, D Edwards 70 72 66 72, N Price (Zim) 71 66 70 73

281 B Lane (GB) 74 68 70 69, M Standly 70 69 70 72, F Couples 68 71 71 71

282 B McCallister 68 73 73 68, D Forsman 73 71 70 68, S Pate 70 71 71 70, T Lehman 71 70 71 70, C Pavin 68 69 75 70, I Baker-Finch 70 70 70 72

283 C Strange 73 68 75 67, Joe Ozaki (Japan) 70 70 74 69, R Mediate 68 72 73 70, C Beck 72 68 72 71, K Perry 74 70 68 71, M Calcavecchia 70 70 71 72, J Cook 75 66 70 72, W Levi 71 69 69 74

284 C Montgomerie (GB) 71 72 73 68, S Lowery 72 71 75 66, B Gilder 70 69 75 70, Jumbo Ozaki (Jap) 71 71 72 70, G Twiggs 72 72 70 70, B Andrade 72 67 74 71, L Rinker 70 72 71 71, J Daly 72 68 72 72, C Stadler 67 74 71 72, R Allenby (Aus) 74 69 69 72, D Love III 70 74 68 72, S Elkington (Aus) 71 70 69 74, M Donald 71 72 67 74.

285 S Simpson 70 73 72 70, M Brooks 72 68 74 71, M McCumber 70 71 73 71, B Claar 70 71 72 72, R Fehr 71 72 70 72, L Nelson 70 71 71 73

286 K Triplett 70 72 75 69, I Woosnam (GB) 70 74 72 70, F Allem (SA) 71 70 74 71, E Kirby 72 71 72 71, M Christie 70 74 71 71, V Heafner 70 72 73 71, K Clearwater 71 72 71 72, S Lyle (GB) 70 74 70 72, B Estes 71 73 69 73, J Maggert 69 70 73 74.

287 M Smith 68 72 74 73, A Knoll (Can) 71 70 73 73, J Edwards 71 73 70 73, H Irwin 73 71 71 72, J D Blake 72 70 71 74, M Hulbert 71 73 72 71

288 F Zoeller 73 67 78 70, S Gotsche 70 73 71 74, (x) J Leonard 69 71 73 75, B Faxon 72 71 70 75.

289 J Nicklaus 70 72 76 71, N Faldo (GB) 70 74 73 72, G Waite (NZ) 69 73 74 73, P Jordan 71 70 73 75, D Waldorf 71 72 71 75

290 T Johnstone (Zim) 71 72 74 73, J Haas 71 69 75 75, B Thompson 71 73 71 75, M Wiebe 71 72 77 70

291 W Grady (Aus) 69 75 70 77, T Schulz 71 73 69 78

292 S Stricker 72 72 76 72

294 S Flesch 71 70 78 75

295 D Weaver 70 73 77 75, J Flannery 73 69 75 78

297 R Wrenn 68 73 80 76

298 R Gamez 70 72 78 78