Brad Faxon equalled the course record before edging South Africa's Tjaart van der Walten in a playoff to pick up a first PGA Tour title in more than four years at the Buick Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut today.
Faxon struck his approach to within three feet of the cup for a birdie at the first extra hole to seal the eighth PGA Tour win of his career, his first since the 2001 Sony Open in Hawaii.
"I'm thrilled to death, it's getting harder and harder to win out here and I'm not getting any younger," the 44-year-old Faxon said.
"I played an unbelievable round of golf today."
The American, who began the day seven strokes behind overnight leader Justin Rose of Britain, fired a course record equalling nine-under-par 61 at the TPC at River Highlands -- the lowest round of his 22-year career.
That left him on 14-under 266 after the 72 holes of regulation play, level with van der Walt, who closed with a 64.
The 30-year-old South African, whose best previous finish this season was a tie for 50th at the Buick Open in July, birdied the last two holes to take the tournament into a playoff.
Playing on a major medical exemption because of a wrist injury, van der Walt arrived in Connecticut needing to earn $484,000 during the remaining events in order to secure his PGA card for next season and picked up most of that with his $464,400 second place cheque on Sunday.
"I'm thinking of that obviously, it's always in the back of my mind," said van der Walt, who had earned just $36,443 coming into the event.
"It was just at the beginning of this year I had a little of a setback.
"You work so hard to get out here and then you get hurt, it's not a nice feeling.
"A lot of people kind of wonder sometimes what was going on, but it's such a niggling injury and I opted not to have surgery and went the other way by just getting it treated.
"I have the physios here, employ a guy to help me to actually fix it and they've done that.
"I'm just happy to be able to play with no pain, and now to almost look I don't even know what the situation is. To be close or thereabouts, it's a really nice feeling."
Englishman Rose, tournament leader since the first day and chasing his PGA Tour title, battled to a 69 to secure third place at 13-under 267.
Two over par after 12 holes, he rallied with birdies on 13, 15 and 16 to close to within a shot of the lead but was unable to pick up another shot and join the playoff.
Ben Curtis (69), the 2003 British Open champion, Jerry Kelly (66) and Michael Putnam (63), in his PGA Tour professional debut, all finished one shot further adrift on 12-under 268.
"It's disappointing to have led so long and not pull it out," said the 25-year-old Rose, who had to settle for the best finish of his PGA Tour career.
"But sometimes it's necessary to get a sniff before you get back."
Faxon's victory seemed unlikely after he struggled through the opening two rounds just finishing right on the cut of 140 to make it to the weekend.
Rated one of PGA Tour's top putters, it was Faxon's lack of poise on the greens that let him down early, posting just two birdies in his opening two rounds.
But on the weekend, something clicked and Faxon suddenly found himself making putts that a day earlier he was missing.
"This was really kind of out of the blue," said Faxon, who had led the PGA Tour in putting on three occasions.
"On Friday afternoon I was in my hotel room packing to go home because I thought even par would miss the cut.
"The first two days I played OK and never made a birdie.
"Then something happened yesterday where all the putts started going in and I just stayed patient.
"I think more than any other day I've played in a long time, I didn't ever get ahead of myself.
"I've been notorious this year for when I've played well, starting to think about holes coming up or what could happen, and I did a great job staying in the present."
