It took Brian Harman's 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to deny world No.1 golfer Dustin Johnson the chance at a fourth straight victory.
Johnson, in his return from a freak back injury that knocked him out of the Masters, went from making the cut on the number to a 67-67 weekend at the Wells Fargo Championship and appeared headed for a playoff with fellow Americans Harman and Pat Perez.
But left-hander Harman won it with a birdie-birdie finish, none bigger than the par-5 18th at Wilmington in North Carolina.
After going so long on his second shot that he needed relief from behind a corporate tent, Harman hit a heavy chip that barely got onto the green.
From just under 30 feet away, the putt dropped into the centre of the cup and set off a wild celebration.
Harman closed with a four-under 68 to finish at 10 under for his second PGA Tour victory.
"I three-putted that 15th hole, knew it was going to be tough to birdie those last couple. But I stuck to my game plan and just did it. Did the best I could," Harman said.
And it was just enough.
Johnson was playing for the first time in six weeks because of his slip down the stairs the day before the Masters.
He was trying to join Byron Nelson, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan and Jack Burke Jr as the only players with at least four straight PGA Tour victories.
"Not much has changed. The first couple days I didn't play that great, but really played nicely on Saturday and Sunday and so I'm happy with where the game is going into next week," Johnson said.
A quick start allowed him to lurk behind the leaders all day, and he holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th that gave him a share of the lead.
Then, he was alone in the lead when others started to stumble.
Perez bounced back strongly with birdies on the 16th and smart play on the 18th, taking on the water that runs along the right side of the hole and laying up to trust his short game.
He hit a pitch up the slope to four feet for birdie and a 68.
Perez headed upstairs to the clubhouse to hang out with Johnson, and when Harman left himself a long birdie chance on the 18th, they were gearing up for a playoff.
And then they weren't.
Johnson then watched someone else leave with the trophy for the first time since February 12, when he finished third behind Jordan Spieth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Brett Drewitt closed with a 70 to finish at two under in a tie for 31st to be the best-placed Australian while Adam Scott finished with a two under to be one under for the tournament and tied 36th.
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