Jerry Kelly grabbed his first US Tour victory for seven years in remarkable fashion in New Orleans on Sunday.
From three strokes clear with a round to go in the Zurich Classic, the 42-year-old fell three behind after 10 holes, but then took advantage of a late collapse from Charles Howell III.
Birdies at the 11th and short 14th were followed by four closing pars and that was just enough to give Kelly the title and the US$1.1million first prize on 14 under par.
While he shot 71, Howell returned a 68, but the 29-year-old's day will not be remembered for his six birdies in the first 11 holes, but for his bogeys at the 15th and 17th.
Howell pulled a drive into sand for the first of them, then three-putted two holes later.
Unlucky when a 261-yard fairway wood to the par-five last bounded over the green, he failed to get up and down and so had to settle for a share of second place with South African Rory Sabbatini and Korean Charlie Wi.
Sabbatini was kicking himself for what he did late on as well.
Two behind when his drive to the 296-yard 16th skipped past the edge of the lake and went just over the green, his chip for eagle and a share of the lead lipped out, but he then missed his three-foot birdie attempt and bogeyed the next.
Sabbatini gave himself another eagle chance on the last, but had to settle for birdie.
Wi, meanwhile, missed a 13-foot birdie putt at the 18th as his wait for a first win in America went on.
A dejected Howell commented: "I don't know what to say. I got myself to 15 (under par) and in position to do it, but I didn't finish it off.
"I would have loved to. I hit a lot of great shots, but I just wish I could have finished better."
It was Kelly's 200th US Tour event since his last success - and only last week, troubled by a dislocated rib and 'flu, he walked off the course on the second day of the Vertizon Heritage after taking a 10 on one hole.
Ian Poulter finished as leading European in a tie for 13th on eight under, but Brian Davis, Greg Owen and Scot Martin Laird were all disappointed to finish just behind him - and not just because they closed with bogey-sixes.
Davis had climbed to joint second with four birdies in the first eight
holes, but bogeyed three of the next seven, while Laird played the last eight in four over after standing joint sixth and Owen, having also covered the first 11 in three under, dropped back as well.
Kelly said: "After the 10th it was not my tournament to lose any more. It was mine to go get - that was the mindset I took.
"Two people yelled 'miss it' over a putt and maybe that was the best thing I could have heard. I was not going to give them the satisfaction.
"We are in the sporting world and you are going to hear everything. You had better suck up and do your job.
"I knew where I stood and basically I was playing against myself and my nerves."
Collated final-round scores & totals (USA unless stated, par 72):
274 Jerry Kelly 68 66 69 71
275 Charlie Wi (Kor) 66 70 71 68, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 70 67 71 67, Charles Howell III 68 69 70 68
276 Steve Marino 70 68 68 70, David Toms 68 68 72 68
277 Steve Stricker 68 73 69 67, Aaron Watkins 70 68 69 70
278 Jason Dufner 68 73 69 68, Roland Thatcher 68 70 70 70
279 Joe Ogilvie 70 69 69 71, Tim Petrovic 70 69 73 67
280 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 68 71 68 73, John Rollins 69 67 71 73, Bob Estes 73 69 68 70, Jeff Overton 68 72 68 72, Ian Poulter (Eng) 71 66 72 71, Boo Weekley 72 68 71 69
281 Brian Davis (Eng) 70 70 70 71, Charley Hoffman 69 66 77 69, Lucas Glover 72 71 66 72, Greg Owen (Eng) 70 68 72 71, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 69 70 71 71
282 D.A. Points 69 71 71 71, Kevin Stadler 70 67 71 74, Paul Goydos 69 70 73 70, K J Choi (Kor) 72 66 71 73, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 69 73 67 73, Martin Laird (Sco) 68 70 71 73, Troy Matteson 71 64 75 72, Nicholas Thompson 70 70 70 72
283 Webb Simpson 70 71 70 72, Jason Day (Aus) 69 71 71 72
284 Aron Price (Aus) 73 70 71 70, John Senden (Aus) 70 72 70 72, Chris DiMarco 73 70 70 71, Darron Stiles 73 67 69 75, Scott Piercy 71 69 70 74, John Mallinger 70 73 71 70, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 71 72 70 71, Jay Williamson 67 73 77 67
285 Charles Warren 67 73 71 74, John Merrick 67 69 72 77, Eric Axley 67 71 76 71, Jimmy Walker 70 73 69 73, David Mathis 72 65 74 74, Scott Verplank 70 73 71 71, Ryan Moore 68 71 75 71
286 Nathan Green (Aus) 67 72 71 76, Parker McLachlin 67 69 78 72
287 Michael Letzig 72 71 73 71, Harrison Frazar 72 70 72 73, Todd Hamilton 73 70 75 69, Matt Bettencourt 70 70 74 73, Kevin Streelman 73 69 75 70, Jeff Klauk 71 72 74 70, Scott Sterling 70 73 72 72, James Oh (Kor) 71 72 74 70
288 Kenny Perry 69 70 71 78, Dudley Hart 70 71 77 70, Chris Riley 73 70 72 73, Brett Quigley 72 69 69 78, Ryan Palmer 70 73 69 76, Steve Allan (Aus) 76 67 72 73
289 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 69 70 78 72, Woody Austin 71 68 72 78
290 George McNeill 69 74 69 78, Ted Purdy 70 73 76 71, Rick Price 71 71 74 74
291 Matthew Jones (Aus) 72 69 73 77
295 Wil Collins 72 71 78 74, Lee Janzen 70 71 78 76
