Adam Scott's proud record of winning a title every year since 2001 is over after he fell agonisingly short at the Australian Open.
The former world No.1 hit his best-ever final round for the tournament to drag himself from one over at the start of play to draw level with leader Matt Jones, who was three holes further back.
The home favourite waited another nailbiting half hour to see if Jones would slip up.
Alas, Jones held firm to see off Scott and world No.1 Jordan Spieth by a shot.
It was a harsh end to the championship for the 35-year-old Scott, who fired off seven birdies for a 65 that would have been Sunday's best at The Australian had it not been for Rod Pampling's bolt-from-the-blue course-record 61.
Instead, a single bogey at the 11th - and a series of birdie putts that shaved the hole - that cost the former world No.1 the chance of a playoff and a 15th straight year with a trophy.
Scott may now be regretting his decision to pass on next week's Australian PGA at Royal Pines to play at Tiger Woods' Hero World Challenge exhibition in the Bahamas.
Having let slip a five-shot lead halfway through the second round at the Australian Masters, Scott can look to his own inconsistency.
At the Australian Open alone, a pair of horror bogeys in the first round meant he needed four birdies on the back nine to salvage par and he made the cut despite a second round in which he failed to once beat par.
He picked it up in the third round with three birdies and an eagle set against a single bogey before finally showing what he's capable of on Sunday.
A pumped fist as he holed to make a clutch par at the 16th to retain a share of the lead with Jones showed how much it mattered.
"There was a poor shot in there and a really great chip and a putt, and the same on 17 when I put myself in an awkward spot after two," Scott said.
"I drove it in the rough and had got it right back on the green but left myself plenty of work.
"Every time you're coming down the stretch, you've got to make putts to win and that's what I kept telling myself."
It wasn't quite enough and completed another painful near miss for the man who tasted glory when he won the title at the New South Wales Golf Club in 2009.
He came closest to lifting the Stonehaven Cup again in 2013, when he was famously beaten by Rory McIlroy on the final hole.
Just another tale of what might have been.
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