Jason Day overcame Victor Dubuisson at the 23rd hole to edge an epic WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship final.
Dubuisson threatened to pull off a truly astounding victory at Dove Mountain before Day finally prevailed on the 23rd hole, although only after his opponent produced two extraordinary recovery shots to keep the contest alive.
The Frenchman conceded the first two holes of the final to Day and although he got back on level terms by the fourth, the 23 year old bogeyed four of the next five to fall three down at the turn.
The gap was still three with just six holes remaining only for Dubuisson to reduce his deficit with a birdie on the 13th, and then keep the match alive with another on the 17th after Day had missed his birdie attempt to seal victory.
And when Day three-putted the 18th from 65 feet, Dubuisson saved par from a greenside bunker to keep his hopes alive of winning a WGC title at his first attempt.
The real drama was yet to come as Dubuisson seemingly wasted all his hard work when his approach to the first extra hole bounded through the green and came to rest in a seemingly unplayable lie underneath a cactus.
However, the Turkish Airlines Open winner somehow conjured a pitch onto the green and to within four feet of the hole, from where he holed for par after Day had saved his from a greenside bunker.
Day showed little emotion at Dubuisson's remarkable escape, but the 26 year old was left smiling and shaking his head in disbelief as his opponent repeated the trick on the second play-off hole.
After pulling his approach to the par four ninth into more desert bushes, Dubuisson casually pitched out and calmly holed from seven feet for par after Day had missed his birdie attempt.
US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson wrote on Twitter: "Two of the greatest up-and/downs I have ever seen Victor!!!" and Gary Player added: "This is simply fantastic stuff!! @Vdubush is Houdini."
The next two holes were halved before Day finally sealed victory with a birdie on the fifth extra hole after an excellent pitch to three feet.
Having earlier recovered from three down after four to beat Ernie Els on the 18th in the semi-finals, Dubuisson said: "I am disappointed because I made some terrible shots, I missed some shots at the end.
"Jason played very well and he made the very important putts. Any time I had a gimme birdie he made his putt. I was very impressed by his nerve."
Day, who beat Rickie Fowler 3 and 2 in his semi-final and will move to a career-high fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday, said: "Obviously I didn't want it to go this long but Vic has a lot of guts and a great short game.
"The guy (saves par) straight out of the cactus twice and for a 23 year old kid he has a lot of game and you are going to see a lot of him for years to come.
"I think the biggest thing was how much do I want to win. I kept saying that to myself last night and visualising myself with the trophy and I am just glad I could finish it off.
"The best thing about this is that every day felt like Sunday, it's a good way to handle your nerves and understand what you are feeling under the pump.
"We played six rounds and just to know you can dig down and keep fighting and not quit until it's over, that's what it's all about. I never wanted something so bad in my life and I am definitely very pleased with it."
In the third/fourth place play-off, Els birdied the 18th to force extra holes, only for Fowler to make his own birdie on the first extra hole to take third.
