JB Holmes took victory in a play-off at the Shell Houston Open after Johnson Wagner’s four-foot putt lipped out, but there was disappointment for Padraig Harrington after a second successive round of 74 meant he finished down the field.
After Friday's promising 68, Harrington endured a challenging weekend, and two rounds of 74 meant he finished on one under, in joint 67th position.
Back at the top of the leaderboard, Holmes, who started the day six shots off the lead but ripped through the first half of the course to make the turn in 29, had moments before missed from 10 foot but 2008 winner Wagner could not save par to take the play-off to a third hole.
Overnight leader Jordan Spieth, who hit a fine putt to par the 18th and make it a three-way play-off, had been eliminated on the first hole.
Spieth's one-shot overnight lead evaporated almost before he had time to warm up on the course thanks to Holmes' blistering start.
Six birdies on the first seven holes saw Holmes tear into an outright lead as Spieth was easing into proceedings with his second par in as many holes.
Holmes picked up a further shot on the eighth on his way to finishing the front nine on a seven-under 29 to tie the nine-hole course record with Fred Couples.
The 32-year-old had a less prolific back nine, but he still picked up two further birdies, with a bogey on the 16th his only blot on a fine day's golf.
He returned to the clubhouse with a two-shot lead having carded 64, but back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 saw Spieth join Holmes on 16 under overall with four holes remaining.
The 21-year-old, who could have gone second in the world rankings with victory in Houston, just missed taxing birdie shots on 16 and 17 to take it all down to his final hole.
And just after his tee shot narrowly avoided the bunker, Wagner dramatically birdied the par-four 18th with a 25ft putt to card a 69 and create a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.
Spieth still had the chance to win it outright but found a bunker, and he needed a fine 42ft chip and then a 12ft putt to rescue par and join the play-off.
Once it began, things quickly went south for the Texan. He found the greenside bunker with his second shot, and then made a poor shot out from a difficult lie, claiming something had distracted him during his backswing. He would be eliminated with a bogey.
Wagner had also run into trouble with his second shot but salvaged a par, and when Holmes missed from 10ft they headed back to the tee to try again.
Neither man had dramas on the way to the green this time but Holmes got much closer to the hole with his second approach shot, and after Wagner over-hit a long putt Holmes again had the chance to win it from 10ft.
His putt drifted a couple of inches wide but Wagner's putt from four feet lipped out and Holmes could celebrate.
"I knew I had to play a really low round to have a chance, but I started out great and it worked out for me," Holmes said on Sky Sports 4 before turning his attention to next week's Masters.
"It's great any time you get a week where you can win going into a major. I went there Monday and Tuesday and saw the course so hopefully I'm ready. I'm hitting it well, and looking forward to it."
