Sun City Challenge: Jim Furyk yesterday admitted he had almost given up hope of ever winning the Sun City Challenge after five previous attempts went unrewarded.

The 2003 US Open winner was surprised to be given an opportunity to lift the title - and a cheque for €1 million - after missing a five-foot par putt on the last.

That bogey forced a four-way play-off with defending champion Retief Goosen, Darren Clarke and Adam Scott, but the American eventually triumphed at the second extra hole after chipping in from the fringe for birdie.

"I've had six opportunities to win here and I was starting to think I've been here the longest without winning," he said of his run in the star-studded, 12-man event at the Gary Player Country Club.

"It's a quite amazing tournament and purse, so it's nice to finally win. It's been a year of close calls for me. I lost in two play-offs and was leading by two with a couple of holes to play in another tournament, but Padraig Harrington sunk a 70-footer to beat me by one.

"It looked like being like that again, but I was fortunate enough to get into a play-off and things went my way, which hasn't really happened this year. It's good reason to come back here.

"For that last chip I had a great lie, so I could afford to be aggressive. The last thing I wanted was a six-footer to stay in the play-off."

Clarke was the only one of the play-off quartet to break par on a final day of high scoring, shooting six birdies - including holing a pitch shot at the 17th - and three bogeys in a round of 69.

Furyk and Goosen shot level-par 72s while Australian Scott carded a 73.

Joint overnight leader Angel Cabrera had a disastrous 80 to drop well out of contention, while South African Tim Clark had to hole his third at the last to join the play-off but duffed his chip and ended with a bogey.

Furyk, the world number seven, admitted he had been surprised to find himself in the position he had been.

"I was thinking a 67 or 68 would be needed to win, so I was surprised 72 was enough," he said. "I didn't look at the scoreboard too much so I was a little surprised to discover I was tied for the lead at the turn."

All the drama began on the back nine, starting when Furyk, who had moved to eight under with two birdies on his outward half, found trouble off the tee at the par-five 14th, but he did salvage par.

Moments later, Goosen missed a six-foot par putt at 13 to drop to six under, and then pulled his drive into the bush. After taking a penalty drop and hacking out, he produced a superb wedge to five feet to save par.

Clarke birdied 16 and then holed his third at the par-four 17th to move to six under, but Furyk dropped a shot at the 15th after overshooting the green.

Goosen birdied the 15th, but then bogeyed the short 16th after going in a bunker.

Then Furyk missed his five-footer for par on the 18th green to drop into a tie with Clarke, Goosen and Scott at six under.

In the play-off, Goosen went out at the first extra hole after missing a five-footer for par, so the remaining three went back to the 18th tee and, despite Scott and Clarke finding the green in two they could not hole their birdie attempts and Furyk nipped in.

Final Scores

(par 72)

282 - Jim Furyk (US) 68 70 72 72 (won at second play-off hole), Retief Goosen (Rsa) 70 69 71 72, Darren Clarke 67 70 76 69, Adam Scott (Aus) 72 69 68 73

283 - Luke Donald (Eng) 70 68 75 70.

284 - Tim Clark (Rsa) 70 72 67 75.

288 - Chris DiMarco (US) 72 71 72 73.

289 - Angel Cabrera (Arg) 71 64 74 80.

290 - Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 70 73 75.

291 - Kenny Perry (US) 76 72 75 68.

292 - Sergio Garcia (Spa) 74 70 74 74.

298 - Stewart Cink (US) 73 76 78 71.