And for the first time in five years, all the major trophies belong to someone other than Tiger Woods.

The defending champion reached under par for the first time all week with a six-foot birdie putt at the par-3 14th, leaving him four shots out of the lead but running out of holes. Not that it mattered. He hit a 5-iron over the 15th green to make bogey, and had to settle for a 69 that left him in a tie for sixth, four shots out of the lead.

“I striped it this week,” Woods said. “I hit it just like I did at Memorial, and unfortunately I didn’t make anything.”

Glover closed with the highest score of a U.S. Open champion since Ernie Els had a 73 at Oakmont in 1994, although the only score that mattered was his even-par 35 on the back nine — and that crucial birdie.

Mickelson wasn’t so fortunate with the putter, typical of his fortunes in a major he can’t seem to win.

Starting the final round six rounds, he shot into a share of the lead with a 35-foot birdie putt on the tough 12th hole, then hit his approach to 4 feet on the par-5 13th for an eagle. He walked to every green giving the fans a thumbs-up, feeling the love from the crowd, believing this might be his year.

Video   Lexus Day 5 wrapup: Part 3 June 22: Bill Patrick, Brian Crowell and Jennifer Mills breakdown what the most memorable part of the 2009 US Open. NBC Sports

But after a pulling off another unlikely shot — a hybrid from the rough on No. 15, up the hill to the back of the green — it all fell apart. From the fringe, Mickelson’s putt stopped about three feet above the hole. To the horror of thousands of fans surrounding the green, the par putt didn’t touch the cup.

“I just thought that it was going to stop breaking, and it broke a little more,” Mickelson said.

He came up short on the 17th, chipped eight feet short and didn’t hit that par putt with enough speed. His last hope was to make birdie on the 18th, but his 30-foot effort slid by the hole.

Mickelson lingered at Bethpage an hour after he finished to sign autographs, then headed home to an uncertain future. He has said he probably won’t go to the British Open and isn’t sure when he will return to golf.

“Maybe it’s more in perspective for me because ... I feel different this time,” he said. “I don’t know where to go with this, because I want to win this tournament badly.”

MORE FROM GOLF

Golf Section Front

Nordqvist wins LPGA Tour Championship Out of Bounds: Tiger booed ... at Stanford? Latest golf videos Latest player news, rumors and more Tracking Tiger: News, features and more Tiger's triumphs: Recapping all Woods' wins Vote: When will Tiger win his 15th major? Vote, discuss: Best major of 2009? Special section: Golf on NBC Discuss: Sound off on golf at Newsvine.com Golf Section Front   Add Golf headlines to your news reader: