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Padraig Harrington snatched his first European Order of Merit title after a dramatic final round of the Volvo Masters at Valderrama.
India's Jeev Milkha Singh was the shock winner of the tournament but all the attention was on a tumultuous battle for the European number one spot.
Paul Casey was in pole position until virtually the final shot of the day.
But when Sergio Garcia bogeyed the last Harrington moved into a tie for second place and the title was his.
David Howell, who could also have snatched the Order of Merit had he finished in the top three, was disconsolate when a final round of 71 left him on even par - just one shot off the position he needed.
Harrington set up a gripping climax to the day and season when he rolled in a 35ft putt on the 16th - a third birdie in six holes to put him joint third.
He pulled his second shot into the water on the 17th, pitched to 8ft, made the par putt, then scrambled a par on the next after hooking into the trees.
That left him with a 69 and one-under total but minutes later he was up to the second place he needed as Garcia bogeyed the 13th and 14th.
In an incredible climax, Garcia then holed a 12ft birdie putt on the 16th to join Singh in the lead at two under and that put Casey in the Order of Merit lead again.
But Garcia fell apart on the 18th, bunkering his second shot and then missing his par putt to slip back a place and put Harrington once again back into second.
The Irishman had trailed Casey by £147,041 going into the tournament but when the Englishman struggled with food poisoning in the first round the battle was suddenly on.
Howell, who had led the money list for most of the season, said: "It's bitterly disappointing.
"Not to have won having been number one for so long is obviously disappointing, but it's been a great year."
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For me this a very surprising end of season. I believed that after the World Matchplay where Casey picked up a million pounds that that would be game, set and match to Casey.
But looking back on Padraig's results throughtout the year he has been amazingly consistant. Something like 7 top 10's and of course the win earlier this month at the Dunhill.
Karlsson was never really going to feature. He was the long shot. I think he had to win and hope Casey, Harrington and Howell had to finish in the 30's.
Howell and Casey did very well considering both wasnt 100% this week. Got to feel for Casey. Got food posioning at the worst point in his career.