PINEHURST, North Carolina, 21 June 2005 — A battling Michael Campbell fought off a charging Tiger Woods to win the 105th US Open here on Sunday.

The 36-year-old Kiwi finished one-under 69 for the day and level par 280 for the championship to beat Woods by two strokes.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia, South African Tim Clark and Australia’s Mark Hensby tied for third spot.

“I can’t believe I’m holding this trophy,” said Campbell.

It was a stunning showing by Campbell, who began the day four shots back of third-round leader and defending champion Retief Goosen.

But as Goosen went into meltdown, Campbell was going under-par and atop the leaderboard.

By the time he reached the turn, the US Open had turned into a shootout between Woods, a two-time US Open champion, and Campbell.

Campbell, who missed his first five cuts on the European PGA Tour this season, refused to wilt as Woods threw back-to-back birdies at him.

Instead, he answered with a 20-foot birdie on the 12th to keep daylight between himself and Woods.

Then Woods all but gave the title to Campbell when he three-putted the par-3 17th. It left Campbell four clear with three to play.

Woods birdied the final hole but it was too little too late and he was left to ponder what might have been.

As the ball dropped into the hole, Campbell grabbed his head in his hands and sobbed with joy and relief as he became only the second New Zealander to ever win a major.

Ochoa Wins LPGA Event as Creamer Stumbles Down the Stretch

In Pittsford, New York, Mexico’s Loreno Ochoa birdied six of her final seven holes to turn a five-shot deficit into a four-stroke victory at the $1.5 million LPGA Wegmans Rochester event.

The 23-year-old Ochoa had three runner-up finishes and six top-10s in 10 events this year.

But she finally got into the win column on Sunday, earning the $225,000 in prize money.

Ochoa entered the final round two shots back of 18-year-old American Paula Creamer, but fired a seven-under-par 65 for a 72-hole total of 15-under 273.

Trailing Creamer, her playing partner, by five shots after 11 holes, Ochoa birdied 12, using an approach shot that dropped within 10 feet, while Creamer settled for bogey after driving into the woods.