Joaquin Niemann edged out former major champion Cameron Smith and fellow LIV Golf player Caleb Surratt to claim a dramatic play-off victory at the PIF Saudi International.
Smith charged up the leaderboard on the final day with a nine-under 62 at Riyadh Golf Club, seeing the Australian set the clubhouse target at 21-under, which was enough to force a play-off when Niemann and Surratt both bogeyed their final hole in regulation.
Surratt carded a final-round 66 and Niemann a four-under 67 to join Smith in a three-way play-off, where all three players birdied the first extra hole before Niemann snatched victory and the $1m top prize by making another brilliant birdie on the next.
Victory at the final Asian Tour event of the year caps an impressive year for Niemann, who also won twice on the LIV Golf League and ends 2024 top of the International Series rankings.
New Zealand's Ben Campbell missed out on the play-off and the chance of a place on next year's LIV Golf League - that comes with winning the International Series rankings - by finishing a shot back in fourth, with England's Tyrrell Hatton rounding off the top five.
How Niemann snatched Saudi victory
Niemann started the final day with a one-shot lead and made the perfect start with birdies on each of the first three holes, with the Chilean in a commanding position until bogeying the par-three 14th.
He found trouble off the final tee in regulation and missed a five-foot putt for par and outright victory, although made amends in the play-off with his brilliant approach to set up a close-range birdie at the second play-off hole.
"It's a really good way to wrap up the season," Niemann said. "I'm really excited for what's coming next season on LIV and hopefully get into a few majors."
Surratt birdied five of his opening seven holes and added two more in a three-hole stretch from the 11th, with his bogey at the par-four last his first dropped shot since the opening day and seeing him claim another near-miss on the Asian Tour.
"It's a tough pill to swallow," said the American. "I've been really close a few times this year in the International Series, and I really fought hard this week because I didn't get off to a great start. I hit six perfect golf shots in the play-off and I didn't really find my way this time. Hopefully one day it does."
Smith was seemingly completely out of the running playing in the sixth from last group, although registered nine birdies in a brilliant final round before falling agonisingly short in the play-off.
"Sometimes all you can do is all you can do," Smith said. "It just seems like it's been that way for me this year. I feel like when I've played really good golf, someone's been there to beat me. Just haven't quite got the breaks I guess you need to win golf tournaments. I can't wait for 2025."
Niemann's success means American Peter Uihlein and Campbell finished second and third in the International Rankings, respectively.
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