Sweden's Jonas Blixt overhauled a stumbling John Mallinger to win his first PGA Tour title by one shot at the Frys.comOpen in San Martin, California late on Sunday.
Two strokes behind the pacesetting Mallinger overnight, rookie Blixt fired a three-under-par 68 to break clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard on a sun-splashed afternoon at CordeValle Golf Club.
The red-shirted Swede snatched the outright lead when he sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the driveable par-four 17th after overhitting the green off the tee, then safely parred the last to finish at 16-under 268.
Blixt pumped his right fist in delight after sinking a four-footer to claim his first US Tour victory, before being soaked in champagne as he was embraced by friends and family on the 18th green.
“It’s unbelievable,” the 28-year-old Swede, who finished third at last week’s Las Vegas Open, said after becoming the third rookie to triumph on the 2012 PGA Tour.
American Mallinger, like Blixt bidding for a maiden title on the tour, bogeyed five of the first nine holes on the way to a 72 and a tie for fourth at 14 under with compatriot Jimmy Walker (62), Fijis Vijay Singh (68) and Brazils Alexandre Rocha (68).
