American DJ Trahan secured his maiden PGA Tour title and playing privileges for the next two years in a play-off for the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Madison, Mississippi on Sunday.
The former Walker Cup amateur, who led the tournament from the opening round, sealed victory at the third extra hole when compatriot Joe Durant missed a five-footer for birdie.
Trahan holed his birdie putt there from a similar distance after the players had matched birdies on the first two play-off holes at a firm and fast-running Annandale Golf Club.
The pair finished the 72 regulation holes at 13-under-par 275, Trahan firing a one-under-par 71 and Durant closing with an eight-birdie 66.
"This is fantastic," a beaming Trahan said. "To win sleeping on the lead every night, with all the pressure that is involved, makes it even sweeter."
Trahan, who became the 12th first-time winner on the 2006 PGA Tour, started the week 142nd in the money list with $474,242, having made just 11 cuts in 29 events this season.
With only five events remaining, he was under pressure to climb into the top 125 to retain his Tour card for next year.
Two shots clear of the chasing pack after Saturday's third round, the 25-year-old struggled with his putter for much of the final day.
He reached the turn in level-par 36 after offsetting an eagle-three at the fifth with bogeys at the second and sixth.
Although he picked up another shot at the par-four 14th, he was unable to break clear of Durant, who had birdied two of the last three holes to set the clubhouse lead.
His putter came to the rescue in the play-off, however. After tapping in for birdie at the first extra hole, he sank putts from six and five feet on the next two holes to edge out Durant for the title.
Twice US Open winner Lee Janzen, bidding for his first Tour title in six years, returned a 70 to finish third at 12 under with fellow American JP Hayes (68) a further stroke back in fourth.
Fred Funk, champion in 1998 and 2004, fired a 69 to share eighth place while Eric Axley, who claimed his maiden Tour victory at last week's Texas Open, soared into a tie for 25th after shooting a best-of-the-day 64.
