MAMARONECK, N.Y. - Playing in the final twosome in the U.S. Open with Phil Mickelson is enough to make anyone nervous.

Not Englishman Kenneth Ferrie. He had no angst at all, even though he was participating in his first major tournament in America and was teamed with the guy almost everyone wanted to win.

As he stepped onto the tee on No. 1, Ferrie thought he was going to be the one to walk away from Winged Foot on Sunday with the top prize.

"I kind of had a bit of a serene feeling," he said. "I can't explain it, I don't know why. I kind of had a sneaking suspicion maybe today was meant to be my day. Lots of players say when it's their week, things go their way and they feel a certain way.

"I felt that way this week."

Ferrie maintained that winning feeling after parring the first six holes. But his putter didn't maintain that positive vibe, and he bogeyed four of the next five to fall out of contention.

He finished with 76 for an 8-over-par 288 total, good for a sixth-place tie and a trip to his first Masters Tournament next year.

"I couldn't buy a putt today. That was the problem. Lots of fairways, lots of greens, lot of putts," he said. "It was just one of those days. The birdies that went in the first three rounds didn't go in today.

"Six bogeys and 12 pars was about as bad as it could have been," he concluded.

Ferrie came in tied for the lead with Mickelson, who ultimately experienced his own collapse on 18.

"I'm sure he didn't play his best, but he hit it where he needed to make his saves," Ferrie said of Mickelson. "It was kind of a comedy of errors. I feel for him."

Maybe because he knows what it's like to let a potential victory slip away. Ferrie three-putted Nos. 7 and 8, and any shot he had of rebounding ended with bogeys on 10 and 11.

"I'll wake up tomorrow when I get back home, sit down and look at things and analyze what happened," he said. "I'm sure I'll be really pleased with what I've done this week."