American Brandt Snedeker heads into his Ryder Cup debut an incredible £7million richer after a day to forget for Rory McIlroy in Atlanta - even though it earned the world number one over £2million.
After 11 successive rounds in the 60s, Northern Ireland's 23-year-old superstar closed the Tour Championship with a 74 and so missed out on the £6.1million FedEx Cup bonus.
Snedeker took that and the tournament first prize of almost £900,000 by three strokes from England's Justin Rose - the perfect confidence-booster before he moves on to Chicago to face Europe.
McIlroy had won the two previous play-off events and so took a points lead into the showdown, but the system was such that fifth-placed Snedeker knew if he won at East Lake he grabbed golf's biggest jackpot.
Joint overnight leader with Rose, the 31-year-old from Nashville had a nasty moment when he went in the lake on the dangerous short sixth and double-bogeyed, but McIlroy had done the same moments before.
Snedeker, one of the sport's great putters, came back by holing from nearly 40 feet at the eighth and 18 feet on the 13th.
Still there was work to be done as Moore caught him with birdies on his own at the 14th and 15th, but Snedeker matched the second of those as Moore bogeyed the next and the issue was effectively settled when he chipped in at the 17th.
Rose, meanwhile, had also birdied the 15th and took second place after Moore dropped two more shots at the end and he made a 14-footer for par on the last.
Snedeker hit his tee shot into the grandstand there, but it was the best bogey of his life.
McIlroy finished the week in a share of 10th place, still good enough to make him second in the final play-off standings - Tiger Woods could have denied him that, but shot 72 - and so pick up a cheque for £1.8million in addition to his tournament winnings.
All European fans will be hoping he is back to his best by Friday after a round which included not only the double bogey, but also four bogeys.
Among those who came past him was teammate Luke Donald, a second successive 67 lifting the former world number one into joint third with Moore - four behind Snedeker.
Lee Westwood had long since departed by then, a 74 leaving him last of the 30-strong field on 15 over, but still with something to smile about as he won a match against playing partner Nick Watney.
"There was enough on it to keep it interesting and hopefully a sign of things to come," he said. "It's my first time in the play-offs and Bethpage was the only course I'd played before. My game is not far away."
Donald said: "I've just been really close and it's nice to finally string a couple of good rounds together.
"I came up a little bit short for this week, but it was a good effort.
"I'm looking forward to this week. One, it's the Ryder Cup and some of my best moments in golf have been during that event, and obviously being in Chicago, the place I've lived the last 15 years."Snedeker said: "I had complete confidence in what I was doing. It's just unbelievable for everybody in my team and it gave me calm that this is not the most important thing in my world.
"I don't know where it came from, but I hope to rekindle it in the future."
He missed just one putt under eight feet all week.
On going in the water at the sixth he added: "It was the second time this week, but I knew I had holes coming up I could birdie, so don't panic."
McIlroy commented: "I just said to Justin I wish he had done me a favour."
A Rose victory would have given his cup team-mate the FedEx Cup title.
"I have to stay positive. It's been a great year and I've had three wins starting at the PGA Championship.
"I knew if I won this week I won the whole thing, but Brandt knew the same thing and he did what he needed to do. He played fantastic out there.
"Going in the water on six was very deflating. I thought I hit a good shot, but it landed on the bank and went back in."
Rose said: "I think it's set up for a great week in Chicago. Two great teams all in the top 35 in the world, probably as strong as it's ever been between two teams.
"I didn't get the momentum going on the greens. I felt like I got a little tentative unfortunately.
"But I'm quite early down the track of what I've been working on with my putting."
Woods said: "Considering where I was at last year it's nice to be where I'm at now. I was struggling with my health and this year I was able to turn it around and play some pretty good golf.
"I need to hit it a little better than I did this weekend."
He had been joint leader after the first round.
Collated final scores and totals (USA unless stated, par 70):
270 Brandt Snedeker 68 70 64 68
273 Justin Rose (Eng) 66 68 68 71
274 Luke Donald (Eng) 71 69 67 67, Ryan Moore 69 70 65 70
275 Bubba Watson 69 66 70 70, Webb Simpson 71 68 70 66
277 Jim Furyk 69 64 72 72
278 Hunter Mahan 68 73 71 66, Tiger Woods 66 73 67 72
279 Dustin Johnson 69 67 73 70, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 69 68 68 74, Robert Garrigus 68 69 69 73, Bo Van Pelt 67 68 71 73, Matt Kuchar 67 69 70 73
281 Phil Mickelson 69 71 72 69, Zach Johnson 68 69 70 74, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 73 71 68, Scott Piercy 67 73 71 70
283 Adam Scott (Aus) 68 73 70 72
284 Jason Dufner 70 70 71 73, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 67 75 71
286 Steve Stricker 67 73 73 73
287 Keegan Bradley 70 73 70 74, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 71 69 77, Rickie Fowler 71 68 72 76
288 John Senden (Aus) 72 68 73 75
289 Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 75 71 71
293 Nick Watney 75 74 70 74
294 John Huh (Kor) 74 70 73 77
295 Lee Westwood (Eng) 72 73 76 74
