Jason Day eventually clinched the Farmers Insurance Open title following a tense battle which saw a Monday finish and six play-off holes at Torrey Pines.
Day and Alex Noren could not be separated following five extra holes on Sunday after the duo and Ryan Palmer completed regulation play at 10-under-par.
The Australian and Swede posted birdies on the first play-off hole but Palmer could only muster a par to exit the sudden-death format early, before Day and Noren went stroke-for-stroke on the next three.
Jason Day clinched his first PGA Tour win in almost two years with victory at Torrey Pines
Time was eventually called on Sunday as Day made a six-foot birdie putt on his fifth extra hole, matched by a five-foot birdie from Noren on the par-five 18th in the fading light, but there was only one more hole needed on the extra day of the tournament.
Both players hit their tee shots into the rough but Noren was in trouble when he found water with a risky wood as he aimed to reach the par-five 18th green in two.
Day, the winner of this event in 2015, laid up short of the water hazard with his second stroke before dialling in a stunning approach to within two feet to all but end Noren’s chances of a maiden PGA Tour victory.
The Australian beat Sweden’s Alex Noren on the sixth hole of their play-off on Monday
The 35-year-old needed to hole out his fourth shot from the relief area but could only get to 12 feet and when he missed the tricky putt, Day had two putts for victory – which he took at the first attempt.
The former world No 1, who had not won since The Players Championship in 2016, told Sky Sports: ‘It’s been a long time coming. I know last year wasn’t the greatest season for me.
‘It’s special because I worked very hard in the off-season to get back into this position. I’m very thankful for my whole team. My goal is always to try and get back to number one, so this is a good start in the right direction.’
Tiger Woods recorded his best finish in a full-field PGA Tour event since August 2015, carding four birdies and four bogeys in a final-round 72 for a three-under-par total.
That left him inside the top 30 – his best finish since tying for 10th at the Wyndham Championship three years ago.
Day had finished alongside Ryan Palmer and Swede Noren on 10 under after 72 holes