Patrick Reed of the USA came through a playoff against countryman Jordan Spieth to win the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Reed was tied for the lead after 54-holes and could have won the event in regulation play with a makeable birdie putt on the 72nd green. But he left it short to go to extra holes with Spieth, who had closed with an excellent 65.
The pair went back to the 18th tee and it looked like Reed might sew it up at the first time of asking when Spieth played a terrible drive. Reed hit two solid shots to set up a seven-foot birdie effort, while Spieth scrambled to leave himself 25 feet for par. Incredibly, he knocked that in and Reed missed his birdie try.
"I don't know how I was even still playing," said Spieth.
On the second extra hole, the 10th, it was Reed who nearly took himself out of the equation from the tee. His drive ended just feet from going out of bounds, in the trees and on pine needles.
His shot looked impossible but, with the ball way above his feet, he fired a seven-iron, under a branch, around a tree and, somehow, onto the green just seven feet from the cup.
"It was one of the best shots I've ever witnessed," said Spieth.
20-year-old Spieth had a good birdie chance of his own, but he missed it before watching Reed roll his home to take the victory. It was his first title on the PGA Tour.
"To get my first win means everything to me," said Reed. "On the second extra hole, that was one of the best shots of my life and, that putt on the last felt like 40 feet."
The other battle in the tournament was to make the top-125 in the FedEx Cup standings, to earn a start in the first playoff event - The Barclays next week.
Amazingly, nobody outside the top 125 managed to push their way in. Robert Streb came agonisingly close. He started the week at 133rd and, despite finishing at three-under-par, he only climbed to 126th.
"I was trying as much as I could," he said. "You can't ignore it but I just tried to play the best golf I could."
Wyndham Championship Sedgefield CC, Greensboro, North Carolina Aug 15-18, purse $5,300,000, par 70
1 Patrick Reed (USA) 65 64 71 66 266 $954,000 2 Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 66 70 65 266 $572,400 T3 Brian Harman (USA) 67 66 69 66 268 $307,400 T3 John Huh (USA) 68 62 70 68 268 $307,400 T5 Matt Every (USA) 67 67 68 67 269 $193,450 T5 Zach Johnson (USA) 67 68 66 68 269 $193,450 T5 Matt Jones (Aus) 65 71 71 62 269 $193,450 T8 Bob Estes (USA) 67 66 68 69 270 $153,700 T8 Andres Gonzales (USA) 69 67 70 64 270 $153,700 T8 Rory Sabbatini (RSA) 67 66 72 65 270 $153,700
Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? Solheim Cup - Europe retains the trophy
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