US Tour: Rory Sabbatini held his nerve over the closing stretch to win the Nissan Open by a shot on Sunday for the third PGA Tour title of his career.

The 29-year-old South African, four ahead overnight, surrendered his lead with six holes to play but regained it with a birdie at the par-three 16th before completing a one-over-par 72.

That left him at 13-under 271, just ahead of defending champion Adam Scott of Australia who charged up the leaderboard at Riviera Country Club with an eight-birdie final round of 64.

Scott, who won last year's title, covered the back nine in a blistering five-under-par 31.

Fred Couples, who caught Sabbatini with his third birdie of the day at the 11th, bogeyed three of the last four holes for a 71 and fourth place at 10 under.

American Craig Barlow, the third member of the final group with Sabbatini and Couples, finished third after a carding a 70.

Sabbatini receiveed a winner's cheque for $918,000 and took over at the top of the 2006 PGA Tour money list with $2,184,294.

"This is probably the biggest one," he said, referring to his previous tour wins at the 2000 Air Canada Championship and the 2003 FBR Capital Open.

"Every time I felt like I hit a good shot, things were going wrong," said Sabbatini.

Paul McGinley had a disappointing final round of 74 for a one-over-par total of 285 and a cheque for $11,934.

Two ahead after reaching the turn in level-par 35, Sabbatini surrendered his lead by the time he reached the 13th tee.

Couples trimmed the deficit to one with a birdie at the par-five 11th, and drew level on the 12th when Sabbatini failed to get up and down from a bunker.

The title was effectively decided at the par-three 16th, where the strengthening ocean breezes blew straight into the players' faces.

Sabbatini struck a seven-iron to five feet and coolly holed the putt to regain a one-shot lead.

Couples, after finding the large front bunker off the tee, and Barlow, who ended up short of the same bunker, both bogeyed to fall two strokes behind.