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Padraig Harrington fired a second round of 67 to win the PGA Grand Slam of Golf by a single stroke from Webb Simpson in Bermuda.
Having opened with a 66 on Tuesday, Harrington - who was a late replacement after Ernie Els pulled out of the event through injury - held a two-shot lead over Masters champion Bubba Watson at the start of the day.
But Watson could manage only a level-par 71 to fall out of contention and it was US Open champion Webb Simpson who emerged as Harrington's only serious challenger.
Indeed, Simpson pulled to within one shot of the Dubliner with his third birdie of the day at the par-five seventh.
Both men then picked up shots at the eighth, but Harrington took a stranglehold on proceedings with a run of three consecutive birdies at 11, 12 and 13 to pull four clear.
Simpson halved the deficit with birdies of his own at 14 and 17 but, with the luxury of a two-shot cushion, Harrington was able to make bogey at the last and still emerge victorious on nine-under-par.
The three-time major winner succeeds Keegan Bradley as champion, the American firing a closing 67 to finish level with Watson at three-under.
The win will taste especially sweet for Harrington given that the 41-year-old lost play-offs at Mid-Ocean in 2007 and 2008 when he took part after winning his major titles.
"It was always the right decision no matter what," Harrington said of his decision to travel to Bermuda.
"You've got to give yourself the chance - it's a fantastic tournament and even if I finished fourth I'd be quite confident that I made the right decision.
"It is a bonus to come and win, no doubt about it, and it was unfinished business for me having lost in two play-offs.
"I believe I'm playing really good golf. I see a lot of good things happening and I do believe that I'm turning the corner into a peak. What those peaks are, we'll wait and see."
Encouraged
Simpson, who shot a 65 on Wednesday, was full of praise for the man that pipped him to the title.
"He's playing well and made the putts you've got to make, but I'm really encouraged with how I played," he said of Harrington.
"My weakness this year has been when I'm in between clubs and I try to smooth one. My body kind of shuts down and doesn't work as well - it's just an eye-opener that I've got a lot of work to do in the off-season.
"I wish I could have putt a little more pressure on Padraig (at the last), but he'd probably have two-putted if he had to."
Harrington, who got his chance after the first two reserves, Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods,opted not to play, joins 1991 champion Ian Woosnam as the only European winners of the title.
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