Dustin Johnson recovered superbly from seeing his overnight three-shot lead wiped out in just two holes to claim the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
Johnson played the last six holes in five under par at Sheshan International Golf Club to card a closing 66 and finish 24 under par, three ahead of defending champion Ian Poulter.
All three members of the final group of Johnson, Poulter and Graeme McDowell shot 66, meaning Poulter finished one ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate McDowell, with Spain’s Sergio Garcia two shots behind in fourth after a closing 63.
US Open champion Justin Rose was fifth on 16 under and Rory McIlroy’s share of sixth with Canada’s Graham DeLaet on 15 under was more than enough to secure the former world number one’s place in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“I didn’t get off to the best start and Poulter and McDowell got off to great starts and put a lot of pressure on me, but I am swinging well and putting well so thought just stick to my game plan and play the golf course how I want to play it and it’s going to come,” Johnson said after claiming his eighth PGA Tour title and the first prize of just over one million euros (£856,000).
Despite a flawless final round McDowell was also disappointed, the Northern Irishman not dropping a single shot over the weekend as he closed the gap on Henrik Stenson at the top of the Race to Dubai to just over 145,000 points.
McIlroy enjoyed a rare bogey-free round as he secured his place in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Having decided not to play in next week’s Turkish Airlines Open, McIlroy had to climb from 62nd in the money list which he won last year to inside the top 60 to qualify for Dubai, and did so with plenty to spare.
Scot Stephen Gallacher finished on one over par after a final-round 71, leaving him a massive 25 shots behind Johnson.