Australian Adam Scott put behind him a frustrating year of several close calls on the PGA Tour with a three-shot victory at the season-ending Tour Championship yesterday.
The world number four, three strokes clear at the start of the day, survived a nervy finish before completing a four-under-par 66 in the final round at East Lake Golf Club.
Although 2002 winner and playing partner Vijay Singh briefly trimmed his overnight advantage to two with a birdie at the par-four first, Scott tightened his grip on the tournament with an immaculate display over the first 15 holes.
The 26-year-old reeled off birdies at the third, seventh, ninth and 10th before picking up his fifth shot in spectacular style, holing out from a greenside bunker at the par-four 13th.
After pumping his right fist in celebration, Scott parred the next two holes, before dropping his only shot of the day at the 16th, where he over-hit the green with his approach.
However, he held his nerve over East Lake's difficult closing stretch to finish on 11-under 269 and secure his long-awaited first PGA Tour title of the year, the eighth by an Australian this season.
By his admission, Scott has played the most consistent golf of his career in 2006 but hadn't won in the US despite a run of nine top-10 finishes in 18 Tour starts.
World number two Jim Furyk, the highest-ranked player in the elite 27-man field, secured second place at eight under by shooting a best-of-the-day 65, with fellow American Joe Durant (67) a further shot back in third.
Retief Goosen, champion at East Lake two years ago, birdied two of the last four holes for a 67 and fourth spot at six under.
Scott, chasing his fifth PGA Tour victory, rolled in a 16-foot birdie putt at the par-four third before holing out from 11 feet at the par-four seventh as the early overcast conditions gave way to afternoon sunshine.
With Furyk in hot pursuit, Scott then coaxed in a 14-footer for birdie at the par-five ninth to restore his overnight lead before effectively putting the title beyond doubt with his moment of magic from the sand on 13.
The Tour Championship brings together the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour, although world number one Tiger Woods, third-ranked Phil Mickelson and Canada's Stephen Ames missed this year's event.
Earlier in the day Karrie Webb set up the Australian double when she fired a six-under-par 66 to win the Mizuno Classic in Tokyo, breaking Annika Sorenstam's five-year winning streak at the event.
Webb began the final round a shot behind overnight leader Momoko Ueda but six birdies gave the Hall of Famer a 14-under total of 202 for a four-shot victory in Japan's only LPGA Tour event.
Japan's Kaori Higo finished runner-up on 10-under at the Kashikojima Country Club in western Japan.
World number one Sorenstam finished a further stroke back.(US unless stated, par 70)
Final scores
269 - 11 under
Adam Scott (Aus) 69 67 67 66
272 - 8 under
Jim Furyk 69 71 67 65
273 - 7 under
Joe Durant 68 68 70 67
274 - 6 under
Retief Goosen (Rsa) 68 71 68 67
277 - 3 under
Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 73 66 69 69
Luke Donald (Eng) 73 67 69 68
Tom Pernice Jnr 69 72 67 69
278 - 2 under
Vijay Singh (Fij) 69 72 65 72
Lucas Glover 73 71 66 68
281 - 1 over
Ernie Els (Rsa) 71 72 66 72
Stuart Appleby (Aus) 69 70 72 70
282 - 2 over
JJ Henry 71 73 69 69
Brett Quigley 71 68 73 70
283 - 3 over
Rodney Pampling (Aus) 73 71 73 66
David Toms 74 71 71 67
284 - 4 over
Zach Johnson 71 69 71 73
285 - 5 over
Arron Oberholser 71 70 72 72
287 - 7 over
Carl Pettersson (Swe) 77 70 71 69
288 - 8 over
Dean Wilson 75 72 71 70
Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 74 72 71 71
289 - 9 over
Ben Curtis 73 77 66 73
290 - 10 over
Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 74 75 71 70
Brett Wetterich 75 74 69 72
291 - 11 over
Chad Campbell 73 74 74 70
292 - 12 over
Stewart Cink 69 75 75 73
294 - 14 over
KJ Choi (Kor) 72 78 72 72
297 - 17 over
Davis Love 82 71 71 73
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