DEFENDING champion Colin Montgomerie finished second at the US Senior Open at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento on Sunday.
The 52-year-old headed into the final day one shot off the lead and came home two shots behind winner Jeff Maggert, who carded 65 to finish 10 under par.
The Scot, who beat Gene Sauers in a three-hole play-off in Edmond, Oklahoma last year, finished with a flawless round of 66 that included four birdies but Maggert's six birdies - despite a bogey on the 16th - saw the American overnight leader clinch the win.
Montgomerie was taking an overnight flight to London - via Los Angeles - to try and qualify for next month's Open Championship at St Andrews. He said he did all he could to win in Sacramento, but Maggert was just better this time.
"To come here tired, very tired, and to put a good performance up, it's always nice when you are defending a title, to defend it properly," Montgomerie said. "I did more than that. I nearly got it here."
"I had a lot of good runs in the US Open over the years and probably lacked a little maturity to pull it off," said Maggert, who had 13 top-10 finishes in majors in more than 20 years on the PGA Tour.
"But certainly, now that I'm an old guy, I've learned a lot and was able to just steady myself and play well."
The final round started with 16 players within two shots of the lead and Maggert said he knew he had to build momentum.
"It was a little different, having so many guys close," he added. "A lot of really good players that have been playing well.
"So I knew I couldn't go backwards today. I had to get a mindset to go forward and make birdies."
After six birdies in 15 holes, he made his only bogey at No. 16.
Of the last eight senior majors, Maggert has now won two, while Montgomerie and Langer have won three each.
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