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Tiger Woods' storybook Tour Championship victory was part coronation, part rock concert.
Thousands of fans busted through the ropes, broke PGA Tour security regulations and walked on the 18th fairway at East Lake Golf Club as Woods completed one of the most remarkable individual comebacks in sporting history.
Not even police could stop the crowd from witnessing Woods' first win in five years, as he closed with a one-over-par 71 to earn an 11-under total - two shots ahead of Billy Horschel (66).
"I figured security would hold them back," Woods said.
"When I got down to the (the green), I looked back and half the fairway was covered."
Woods said the scenes at his 80th PGA Tour victory, which will propel him eight spots to world No.13, were unlike any of his previous triumphs.
"No ... this was different. This was fever pitch," he said.
The 42-year-old's first worldwide win since the 2013 WGC-Bridgestone leaves him just two shy of Sam Snead's all-time record of 82 PGA Tour titles.
"I've been sitting on 79 for five years now; to get 80 is a pretty damn good feeling," Woods said.
Having sat on the sidelines for 10 months last year while recovering from spinal fusion surgery, Woods entertained never playing golf again.
In May 2017, he was arrested and briefly jailed in Florida on suspicion of DUI when police found him asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle in the early morning with the engine running.
Two months later, he completed intensive treatment for a reliance on prescription pain medication and by November the former world No.1's ranking had plummeted to 1199.
"The low point was not knowing if I'd ever be able to live pain-free again," Woods said.
"Was this how the rest of my life was going to be? I was beyond playing; I couldn't sit, walk or lay down without feeling pain in my back and my leg."
On Sunday, his Tour Championship win pocketed him $US1.62 million ($A2.2 million) but it was nothing like the clinical finishes of his world-beating prime.
He started the day with a three-shot lead and at one stage increased that to five.
But he bogeyed the 10th and responded with a birdie three holes later, before two consecutive bogeys from the 15th had fans nervous.
When Woods hammered a 348-yard drive down the fairway on the last, winning was a formality despite putting his second in the green-side bunker and missing the ensuing birdie putt.
"It was a grind out there but I loved every minute of it," Woods said.
"I had a hard time not crying on the last hole; I still had shots to play so I had to suck it up.
"Once I got the ball on the green I gave (caddie) Joey (LaCava) a high five because it was done."
Meanwhile, Australian Jason Day (68) finished at two under while countrymen Cameron Smith (68) was even-par and Marc Leishman (71) was one over.
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