Australian Adam Scott put behind him a frustrating year of several close calls on the PGA Tour with a three-shot victory at the season-ending Tour Championship Sunday.

The world number four, three ahead at the start of the day, survived a nervy finish before completing a four-under-par 66 in the final round at East Lake Golf Club.

World number two Jim Furyk, the highest-ranked player in the elite 27-man field, secured second place at eight under by shooting a best-of-the-day 65 with fellow American Joe Durant (67) a further shot back in third.

Retief Goosen, champion at East Lake two years ago, birdied two of the last four holes for a 67 and fourth spot at six under.

Although 2002 winner and playing partner Vijay Singh briefly trimmed Scott's overnight lead to two with a birdie at the par-four first, the Australian tightened his grip on the tournament with an immaculate display over the first 15 holes.

The 26-year-old reeled off birdies at the third, seventh, ninth and 10th before picking up his fifth shot in spectacular style, holing out from a greenside bunker at the par-four 13th.

After pumping his right fist in celebration, Scott parred the next two holes before dropping his only shot of the day at the 16th, where he overhit the green with his approach.

However, he held his nerve over East Lake's difficult closing stretch to finish on 11-under 269 and secure his long-awaited first PGA Tour title of the year, the eighth by an Australian this season.

By his own admission, he has played the most consistent golf of his career in 2006 but was winless on American soil at the start of this week despite a run of nine top-10 finishes in 18 Tour starts, six of them top-three placings.

BIG DIFFERENCE

"This really does make a big difference," a beaming Scott told reporters after ending the season a career-high third in the PGA Tour money list with earnings of just under $5 million.

"I feel like all the hard work has actually paid off and I haven't come up short. I was pretty determined to finish it off today and didn't want to throw away this opportunity as I had done with some others earlier in the year.

"This is an important win. Not only is it a big event on the PGA Tour but it's been a while since I've won in the States. Now I want to get in the habit of winning them a little more frequently."

Scott earned $1.17 million for clinching his fifth PGA Tour title, although his win at last year's Nissan Open is unofficial after the Los Angeles event was rain-shortened to 36 holes.

Furyk, after equalling the lowest round of the week with a five-birdie display, said of Scott:

"A guy goes out there with a three-shot lead and shoots 66 on this golf course, he's obviously going to win the golf tournament."

"Joe (Durant) and I did a good job in my book today, putting up some birdies early on the front nine."

Furyk gained some consolation, however, by winning the prestigious Vardon Trophy for the first time with the lowest adjusted scoring average during the PGA Tour season of 68.86.

World number one Tiger Woods achieved a lower average of 68.11 on the way to eight titles this year but did not play in the minimum of 60 official rounds.

The Tour Championship brings together the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour, although Woods, third-ranked Phil Mickelson and Canada's Stephen Ames were absent this year.