American Jason Dufner kept his challengers at bay with a solid final round 68 to win his first golf major, the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill in New York on Sunday.
Dufner clinched the title by two shots, gaining sweet revenge for his play-off loss two years ago.
Despite dropping shots at the last two holes, his 68 was enough to give him a total 10 under the card 270, two ahead of compatriot Jim Furyk.
Swedes Henrik Stenson and Jonas Blixt were third and fourth respectively while Adam Scott was the best of the Australians with a share of fifth.
Despite being unable to unsettle Dufner, Scott continued his impressive year in the grand slam events after taking out the Masters and being a serious last day contender at both the British and US Opens.
Scott fired a final round 70 to land five shots off the pace in a day which included five birdies and five bogeys.
Fellow Australian Jason Day, who had been under a slight injury cloud before the PGA, stormed up the leaderboard with sizzling string of seven birdies in 10 holes to shoot a 67 and end the week tied for eighth.
Two years ago Dufner lost the title to Keegan Bradley in a three-hole playoff at Atlanta and said he had decided to play without caution heading into the last round.
"I can’t believe this is happening to me," Dufner said. "To come back from a couple of years ago feels really really good," Dufner said.
"It’s a great feeling to actually win one of these now. It’s been a tough day. It was a long day. Tough golf course. It probably hasn’t hit me yet.
"I just decided that I was going to be confident and really put my best foot forward and play aggressive and try to win this thing. I wasn’t going to just kind of play scared or soft.
"I’m happy to get the job done. It’s a big step in my career," he said.
Scott’s challenge disappeared in the Oak Hill rough. He found thick grass and was unable to hole a metre par putt which pushed him onto the back foot from the start of the day.
He rebounded with a birdie at the next and a second at the fourth hole, but his good work was undone when his approach shot buried deep in a bunker on the sixth.
The Masters winner tried to keep his day relevant with birdies at the ninth and 12th holes but could not maintain his momentum.
Scott had the door open briefly when he holed out from a bunker on the 15th for birdie but his hopes disappeared when he failed to make a three metre putt to save par on 16th.
Day was well out of the spotlight after he dropped a shot at the second hole to be one over the card but unleashed a late challenge to make a bold bid which eventually fell short.
He claimed birdies on the fourth and sixth then took another on the ninth when he sank a monster 20 metre putt.
Day continued his charge picking up shots again on the 10th, 11th and 13th to be just three off the lead.
The run ended when the Queenslander was astray from the tee at the short 14th then saw his tee shot on the par three 15th ended in a trap.
While he managed to save par his attack on the leaders had come to an end. Day threw too much at the final three holes and dropped shots but still finished three-under for the week.
Victorian Marc Leishman’s PGA ended with a fine 68 and a tie for 12th. He then began the trip home for the birth of his second child.
Matt Jones fired a final round 68 to be four-over for the week while Marcus Fraser carded a 74 to be five-over.
John Senden battled to a 76 to finish 11-over the card.
By: Robert Grant