Collin Morikawa claimed his maiden Major Championship title at just his second attempt after holding off a host of world class challengers to win the 2020 US PGA Championship.
The California native did not put a foot wrong at TPC Harding Park on Sunday, producing back nine fireworks to sign for a flawless 64 and finish on 13 under par, two shots clear of overnight leader Dustin Johnson and Englishman Paul Casey, who ran him close in a thrilling final round.
The 23-year-old, playing in his first US PGA, was part of a six way tie for first place as he reached the 14th tee but chipped in from a tricky spot just short of the green for an unlikely birdie to break the logjam and lead on his own on 11 under.
Casey made a birdie of his own at the short par four 16th to grab a share of the lead but Morikawa fired a stunning eagle at the same hole a matter of minutes later after blasting his tee shot to seven feet and rolling in to get to 13 under and open up a two shot lead with two holes remaining.
Morikawa came agonisingly close to holing his 30 foot putt for another birdie on the 17th but the ball pulled up just short.
He safely parred the final hole to card the joint lowest round of the week and secure victory at the first Major of 2020.
Casey finished joint second alongside Johnson courtesy of his final round 66, with Matthew Wolff, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Scottie Scheffler and 2015 champion Jason Day another shot back in a tie for fourth.
Justin Rose was alone in ninth place one shot further back.
Morikawa, who beat Justin Thomas in a play-off in the Workday Charity Open in July to claim his second US PGA Tour title, began the day two shots off the lead and had to hole lengthy par putts on the first two holes to stay in touch.
He drained a great birdie putt on the third before making it back to back gains at the next.
Upon taking advantage of the par five tenth, Morikawa moved into a tie for the lead until his moments of brilliance on the 14th and 16th pulled him clear.
After being presented with the Wanamaker Trophy, and watching the lid fly off as he lifted it in the air, a delighted Morikawa said: "It's amazing. It's been a life goal, obviously as a little kid, kind of watching everyone growing up, all these professionals, and this is always what I've wanted to do.
"I felt very comfortable from the start. As an amateur, junior golfer, turning professional last year, but to finally close it off and come out here in San Francisco, pretty much my second home where I spent the last four years, is pretty special.
"I'm on cloud nine right now. It's hard to think about what this championship means, and obviously it's a Major, and this is what guys go for, especially at the end of their career, and we're just starting.
"So I think this is just a lot of confidence, a lot of momentum, and it just gives me a little taste of what's to come.
"I've got a taste of this now. Obviously it was a very crowded leaderboard. At one point if you looked at the leaderboard it was all at ten under and it was a party pretty much. So yeah, this one is going to be very special.
"I think without a crowd it plays very different. If there were thousands and thousands of people, I think everyone would have heard the shout on 16 for sure. Everyone would have heard birdies around the course a little more. So maybe it wouldn't have been as bunched up.
"But whether crowds were here or not, I still had to get it done, so I'm really happy about what just happened."
Casey made a patient start to his fourth round, producing a solid par save at the opening hole before picking up his first shot of the day from nine feet at the fourth.
The 43-year-old followed that up with another birdie on the fifth but it was almost even better, as his approach shot from the right side of the fairway nearly found the cup for an eagle.
After keeping his card clean with a good up-and-down from the rough on the short eighth, Casey holed his seven foot birdie putt at the par five tenth to move to ten under and join Johnson at the summit.
A first bogey of the day at the 13th stalled Casey's momentum but he made amends with a brilliant close range birdie at the very next hole to regain a share of the lead.
He missed his birdie try on the 15th but, after Morikawa had chipped in at the 14th, Casey joined him on 11 under when he picked up a shot on the 16th.
After Morikawa made his late eagle, Casey knew his closing pars at the 17th and 18th would not be enough to claim his first Major title at the 64th time of asking.
But Casey was pleased with his performance. He said: "I played phenomenal golf and there's nothing I would change.
"I'm very, very happy with how I played - great attitude. I stayed very calm and stayed in the present. It wasn't enough.
"The glorious shots Collin hit like on 16 to make eagle, you have to tip your cap.
"When he popped up on Tour not that long ago, those guys who were paying attention like myself knew that this was something special, and he's proved it today.
"He's already sort of proved it but he's really stamped his authority of how good he is today.
"But I'm very, very happy with everything. Kind of got my mojo back now."
