By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

SAN FRANCISCO – Jim Furyk didn’t make a birdie on Sunday but he did manage to hold onto the lead for most of the day. Graeme McDowell struggled to find a fairway, but he did manage to keep his hopes alive.

In the end, neither past winner of the U.S. Open could get the job done.

Both came to the 18th green needing to make birdie in order to force a playoff with Webb Simpson. McDowell missed his birdie attempt from 25 feet; Furyk found the bunker with his approach shot and had no chance.

A disappointing day for both players, who entered the final round with a share of a two-shot lead.

“There’s a mixture of emotions inside me right now,” McDowell said. “Obviously disappointment, deflation, pride. But mostly just frustration, just because I hit three fairways today.

“That’s the U.S. Open. You’re not supposed to do that. You’re supposed to hit it in some fairways.”

Furyk led for most of the day before suffering bogeys in two of the final three holes. His tee shot at the par-5 16th led to the bogey that dropped him out of the lead he was sharing with Simpson.

“I was tied for the lead, sitting on the 16th tee, with wedges basically if I hit good shots,” Furyk said. “I got wedges in my hand or reachable par-5s in my hand on the way in and one birdie wins the golf tournament. I’m definitely frustrated….

“I know I let one slide today and slip.”

Said McDowell: “I’m disappointed right now. But the way Jim did it, to play as well as he did and then just to kind of not get the job done coming in, that’s more disappointing for him.  I guess that the way I did it – I got off to a slow start and kind of battled back – I guess I feel a little better.”