The New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko has finished as the leading amateur at the US Open after carding a three over par 75 but the teenager knows it could have been a much better result.
The 15-year-old, who became the first New Zealand amateur to make the cut at the US Open, finished in a share of 39th place to claim the amateur honours by one shot from American Emma Talley.
But Ko walked off the championship course at Blackwolf Run in Wisconsin with a bitter taste in her mouth after dropping six shots in the final three holes, including a triple bogey at the last, to finish on a 12 over par total.
If Ko had parred her way in from the 16th she would have finished in a share of 18th place.
Overall the world number one amateur is happy enough with her major debut and believes that she learned a lot just playing among professionals.
