Mickelson has been runner-up in four US Opens in New York

Phil Mickelson refused to dwell on a record fifth US Open runner-up spot as his thoughts returned to his wife's fight with breast cancer.

The three-time major winner has yet to win his national championship and ended two behind Lucas Glover at Bethpage.

But Mickelson will now take time out from the sport to be with wife Amy who is to undergo surgery next month.

"Certainly I'm disappointed, but now that it's over I've got more important things going on," said the 39-year-old.

Mickelson surged into a tie for the lead at four under par with an eagle at the 13th before bogeys at the 15th and 17th derailed his charge.

"I was standing on the eighth tee box after a couple of bogeys at even par not looking good," he said.

"I fought back in it with that birdie on nine, birdie on 12, eagle on 13 and put myself in a great position to close it out. But unfortunately I didn't finish it off."

I badly want to win this tournament Phil Mickelson

The world number two was roared on by an adoring crowd, mindful of his wife's illness and the fact that four of his US Open misses have come in the New York area - at Winged Foot (2006), Shinnecock (2004) and Bethpage twice following his runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2002. He was also second at Pinehurst in North Carolina in 1999.

"It was a lot of ups and downs for me as far as a lot of birdies, a lot of bogeys, fighting to get into it, back out, back in it," said Mickelson.

"Kind of an emotional four or five days," he added about the rain-hit championship that spilled over into a Monday finish.

Mickelson has won two Masters and a USPGA title and his next chance for a US Open breakthrough will come next year at Pebble Beach in California.

"It's a challenge for me because it's difficult off the tee," he said.

"It's not as easy to get up and down around the greens but I think the way the courses have been set up the last couple of years, I will have more and more chances."

Mickelson was showered with support from day one after coming to Long Island with a request from Amy that he won the silver US Open trophy to brighten her hospital room.

IAIN CARTER BLOG Mickelson will be kicking himself all the way back to California

The Californian, who has won two Masters and a PGA Championship, said this near victory felt different from the others.

"I think maybe it's more in perspective for me," he said. "I feel different this time.

"I don't know where to go with this, because I badly want to win this tournament. This is now my fifth second. I play well in this event and I enjoy this event."

Mickelson took a break from the US PGA Tour last month when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, but received good news that the cancer was detected early and so treatment was put off until next week.

After staying around at Bethpage for an hour after play to sign autographs, he then rushed off to take his family on holiday before she begins breast cancer treatment on 1 July.

"It's not that I need a vacation. It's just we're not going to have a chance in the next couple of months to have a lot of family time," Mickelson said. "So yeah, as a family, we need it."

He is unlikely to appear at the Open at Turnberry next month and it is unclear when he will return to competitive golf.

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