Mike Weir regrets missed opportunities

Mike Weir produced his best finish in a U.S. Open with a tie for third on Sunday, but regretted never really getting into contention for the second of the year's four major championships.

The 33-year-old Canadian, who became the first left-hander to win a major in 40 years with his playoff victory at the U.S. Masters in April, completed scores of 73, 67, 68 and 71 at Olympia Fields Country Club, ending up at one-under-par 279.

"I would like to have just been a little bit closer starting today, two or three better," said Weir, who went into the final round eight shots behind the eventual champion Jim Furyk.

"Thursday I struggled a little bit, and the first three days I felt like my putting wasn't very good.

"I'm going to look back and say, if I could have done a bit better this week, putted a little better the first three rounds.

"Today I putted better, but I didn't have as many chances," he added. "Yesterday, I had a lot of chances and didn't convert them. But that's golf, and you always look back.

"I never really got in contention here."

Weir, who has climbed to fifth in the world rankings following his major breakthrough at Augusta National, has since set himself much loftier targets.

"I had high expectations coming into this week," he said. "I felt like the U.S. Open and British Open kind of suit my game. Of all the majors, I feel those two tournaments, and this tournament especially, really suits my game.

"But no one remembers third or fourth, so I would have loved to have just posted a little better number on Thursday, and been able to be in the ball game a bit more.

"Still, it's not been a bad week," added Weir, a three-times winner on the 2003 PGA Tour.