Rob Sloman: Price has 3 million reasons to be happy

The Durban-born Zimbabwean, who was backed by a partisan crowd, held his nerve to hole from 12 feet for a birdie three at the 17th to finally bring a rollercoaster contest to an end.

Overnight leader Lee Westwood of England faded away on the last day and hit a one-over 73 to finish joint fourth alongside Mark O'Meara on 12 under, with former Open champion Justin Leonard in third place two strokes ahead.

Scotland's Colin Montgomerie was back in joint 10th place on four-under, after all 12 players broke par for 72 holes for just the second time in the tournament's history.

Woods battles back

The extra holes created a breathless finale to one of the season's elite events, which involves just 12 of the world's top players.

Woods chipped in to take it a play-off

But in the closing stages of the final round, few would have predicted the challenge would go to a play-off.

Starting at the ninth, Price reeled off six birdies in a row as he hit a rich vein of form for a 66 that looked set to see him to victory.

But Woods wrote another gripping chapter to his astonishing short career when he chipped in from just off the green at the final hole. His surprise birdie took him to 15-under, as he matched Price's total and set up the play-off.

And the drama just went on and on. Woods seemed dead and buried on the first play-off hole, the par three 16th, when he missed the green and faced a testing shot over a bunker.

But the American superstar produced another stunning chip and then watched his opponent miss his putt for victory, before holing out himself to keep the sudden death battle alive.

The second play-off hole was halved in four and the two players, who are good friends and neighbours in Florida, headed back up the 18th.

This time it was Price who struggled, but after Woods had hit a superb second into the heart of the green, the Zimbabwean equalled Woods' last-ditch efforts by chipping to within a few feet to claim his par and halve the hole.

Then came their second trip down the 16th and Price squandered a golden chance to clinch victory with a missed putt after Woods failed to find the green.

But there was to be no repeat at the 17th when, with his third chance to win the title, Price at last grabbed his moment.

Final leaderboard from Sun City: