Danny Willett felt he belonged in elite company after wrapping up his Open Championship challenge with a final-round 70.

The Yorkshireman was unable to make a concerted push for the title but his two-under-par round took him to 11 under overall and ended a highly satisfactory tournament.

The 27-year-old world number 39 was among the contenders throughout at St Andrews and was just a stroke off the lead at the halfway stage.

Willett said: “I’ve been right up there in contention pretty much from the get-go and I was playing some good golf.

“I had a little bit of a stale spell with the putter yesterday and then obviously the front nine today and that kind of cost me.

“But it’s been good. I obviously finished 15th at Muirfield a couple years back and had some decent finishes along the way, but being in contention all week has been nice. Being around the mix and in the last few groups is always that much better.”

Willett started the day at nine under, three off the lead, but his hopes faded as he went to the turn in one-over-par 37.

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He said: “It was good but we left ourselves a lot to do – 21 putts on the front nine for one over is not great. I couldn’t get anything going.

“It was a little bit of a shame to finish as we did on 17, but all in all it was a pretty good week.”

Willett laughed off an incident involving playing partner Zach Johnson as he almost tripped over the American’s club.

Johnson was bending down to pick up his tee after driving at the 14th and leant on his club, but that gave way and caught Willett on the leg as he walked past.

Words appeared to be exchanged between the pair but Willett said there was no issue.

He said: “He was picking his tee peg up and he slipped when I walked past him.

“We were just laughing. He said sorry.”