Rory McIlroy says there were positives to take from his US Open performance despite describing it as "another missed opportunity".
The 33-year-old finished joint-fifth after a final round 69 which left him on two under for the tournament, four shots behind winner Matt Fitzpatrick.
McIlroy felt he was just one great round from claiming a fifth major title and first since 2014 following a battling 73 on Saturday, but mixed four birdies and four bogeys in his first 14 holes and eventually signed for a 69.
He told Sky Sports after his round: "I'll look back at this as another missed opportunity just as Southern Hills was, but missed opportunities are better than not contending at all. So that is a positive.
"I have to stay patient at this point because if I just keep putting myself in position, sooner or later it's going to be my day and I'm going to get one.
"It's not win or bust. It's not as if where I finished today is the same as not playing on the weekend. I guess when I look back, will I remember the fifth place I had at Brookline? Probably not.
"Yeah, there's positives to take from it. I played well enough to give myself a chance to win. I didn't get the job done, but I'm closer than I have been in a while, which is good."
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