Australia's Robert Allenby curved in a five-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole during a driving rainstorm yesterday to win the $3.4 million PGA Nissan Open.
Solving an 18th hole that had surrendered only two birdies in the final two rounds, Allenby won a record-equalling six-man sudden-death play-off for his third US title in 10 months - all of them having come in play-offs.
Allenby made it three from three in US play-offs, having beaten Craig Stadler last April to win the Houston Open and taken the Western Open last July over Nick Price of Zimbabwe.
The sudden-death play-off included Allenby, Japan's Toshi Izawa and Americans Jeff Sluman, Bob Tway, Dennis Paulson and Brandel Chamblee.
Allenby could have avoided the play-off with a par on the 18th but was fortunate to be part of the showdown after coming up short with his approach. He then chipped to four feet and sank the pressure putt to reach the play-off. Once there, the Aussie star made the most of his chance, finding the centre of the fairway and dropping his 223-yard approach five feet from the cup to set up his winning putt.
Davis Love won the half-million-dollar bonus, but did not clinch the prize until Tway lost the playoff.
Love, who led by three shots after 54 holes, had a double bogey at the 15th and bogeys on the 16th and 18th to settle for a share of eighth at 278.
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