Tom Lehman earned his first senior Major title after edging out Fred Couples and David Frost in a play-off.
A par at the first extra hole proved enough for the former US Ryder Cup Captain as compatriot Couples and South African Frost both double bogeyed, handing Lehman the US Senior PGA Championship.
After Lehman began the sudden death play-off with a solid shot down the fairway, a rare poor tee shot from Couples veered left into the shrubs, forcing him to take a drop.
Frost's tee shot ended up in the left bunker and he pulled his second shot left of the gallery. He cleared out dozens of pine cones in between him and the green before striking his ball, which was nestled in a shrub across the green.
Couples, who had earlier made back-to-back eagles on the par five 15th and 16th holes, could have won in regulation but missed an eight foot putt at the last, while European Senior Tour Member Frost ran out of steam after a brilliant weekend display.
Having been tied for 45th at the halfway stage, he shot 65 and 67 to come from 12 shots behind Couples to a place in the play-off. For Lehman though it was a maiden Senior Major Championship in his second season among the over 50s.
He said: "It is an amazing sense of satisfaction when you win but I think to win the Senior PGA Championship with the history of the PGA of America, that always is more significant than most.
"I've had so many good friends in the Association and so many great experiences because of the PGA of America - The Ryder Cups and PGA Championships - and so this winning this is really significant.
"I think I had an advantage from the start in the play-off because I just finished. The longer you have to wait I think the tougher it gets to play in a playoff."
Mark O'Meara finished fourth, ahead of Zimbabwe's Nick Price.
Andrew Oldcorn was the leading European - a closing 71 giving the Scot a top-ten finish.
There were also top 20 finishes for Boonchu Ruangkit and Eduardo Romero.
