American Brandt Snedeker won the US PGA Tour Championship and claimed a $10 million bonus for capturing the tour season play-off title after firing a two-under par 68 in Sunday’s final round.
Snedeker was among five players, including 14-time major winner Tiger Woods and world no.1 Rory McIlroy, who led in play-off points and could have claimed the play-off crown and bonus money simply with a victory in the 30-man showdown.
“I had complete confidence in what I was doing out there,” Snedeker said.
“I putted great all week and made big putts when I needed to.”
In addition to the richest prize in golf, Snedeker won the $1.44 million top prize for winning the Tour Championship, the final event of the season for most of the tour’s top stars.
The total pay-off was more than Snedeker had earned in his career before this year.
Snedeker finished 72 holes on 10-under par 270 to defeat Britain’s Justin Rose by three strokes with Britain’s Luke Donald and American Ryan Moore sharing third on 274 and American Webb Simpson fifth on 275.
World no.2 Woods, the 2007 and 2009 play-off champion who began the day four strokes back, fired a 72 to finish in a share of eighth on 278. He began with a bogey, found water at the sixth and was not a factor from there.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who won two prior play-off series events, shot 74 to finish in a share of 10th on 279, ending a run of 11 rounds in a row in the 60s. He found water at the sixth for a double bogey and had bogeys at the fourth and seventh to fade early.
That left Snedeker atop the season play-off points race with McIlroy, the points leader entering the week, settling for second and Woods finishing third.
“I’ve got to stay positive. It has been a good year,” said McIlroy, whose three titles in his prior four starts included his second major crown at last month’s PGA Championship.
“The golf I have played has been great. I knew what I needed to do this week. I needed to win. Brandt needed to do the same.
“He did what he needed to do.”
An emotional Snedeker said golf was not the biggest thing on his mind last week.
Snedeker visited the hospitalised son of his swing coach before his round, taking a boost of encouragement from a friend who suffered severe injuries in an automobile crash.
“He really uplifted me,” Snedeker said.
“I asked him if he thought I was going to beat Rory McIlroy and he gave me a little wink.
“I give him a lot of credit.”