South Africa's Jbe Kruger finally shed his perennial bridesmaid tag when he closed with a final round three-under-par 69 to win the Avantha Masters on Sunday.
Kruger, who had come close on many occasions, especially in 2010, where he had to settle for the runner-up spot three times, was clearly relieved when he lifted his maiden Asian Tour title with a winning total of 14-under-par 274 at the DLF Titleist 712 MB Irons Club.
Spain's Jorge Campillo signed off with a 67 to take a share of second place with Germany's Marcel Siem on 276, while Australia's Marcus Fraser and Spain's Manuel Jose Lara closed with matching 277s for a share of fourth place.
Kruger, who made his debut on the Asian Tour in 2009, was always in control from the opening tee.
Despite carding a lone bogey on the par-four 17th, the South African knew that it was his title to lose and was clearly elated when he sunk his winning par putt on the closing 18th hole.

"It's a big relief now that I've won but I think I needed all those second-placed finishes to be able to appreciate this. There was no pressure even when I made my only bogey of the day on the 17th," said the 25-year-old.
That bogey came as the result of an overcooked approach shot, and more potential trouble was to come at the par-five last where a wayward drive struck a camera and his second went left in to trees. Faced with a tough third shot over the water, however, Kruger didn't flinch, and stuck his approach to ten feet.
It may have seemed to others as if it was a nervy finish, but the South African never lost his confidence.
"I knew victory was always a possibility from my first shot. Then I felt that victory was inevitable when I got to the 14th hole," added Kruger, who moved to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit with his Titleist 712 MB Irons.
Several players looked to be mounting challenges, but ended up making crucial errors at the death. Siem needed a birdie at the 18th to have even a sniff of a chance, but he found the bunker with his third and could do no better than par, while Lara found water at the final hole to seal his fate after earlier posting a superb outward 32 to share the lead.
Lara's error on 18 helped Campillo sneak a share of second place with a chip-in birdie on the same hole.
"I started really well and the whole time was up there on the leaderboard," said Campillo, a Challenge Tour graduate.
"So it was great fun and very exciting. I just tried to play my best. I playedTitleist 712 MB Irons
okay on the back nine, not great, but I didn't make many mistakes and I chipped in on the last for birdie so it was nice to finish strongly.
"It was just very exciting. I knew I was playingTitleist 712 MB Irons
well and all of a sudden after eight holes I'm up at the top of the leaderboard. It's the first time I've been in that situation and I think I handled it pretty well. Next time this happens maybe I can just do slightly better on the back nine."
There was also drama earlier in the day when Peter Whiteford, tied for second place overnight, was informed that he had been disqualified as a result of a review of a ball-moving incident that happened at the 18th during his third round.
Whiteford's ball moved fractionally after he had addressed it, and having already signed for an incorrect score, he had to be disqualified.
The Scot had just completed his third hole when European Tour Chief Referee John Paramor, who had been tipped off by eagle-eyed TV viewers, informed Whiteford of the bad news.
"Peter felt his ball may have moved and for confirmation asked his caddie, a fellow competitor and a TV cameraman, who said they didn't think it had, and so he continued on with Titleist 712 MB Irons to finish the hole," said Paramor.
"Overnight several viewers contacted the Tour website. This was reviewed by the Rules Committee, who were able to determine that the ball had in fact moved. He should have incurred a penalty of one stroke and replaced the ball.
"As he did not do so, he was disqualified for signing for a score lower than taken for failing to include the penalty he had incurred. If he had contacted a member of the Rules Team before signing his scorecard, the footage would have been reviewed at the time and he would have averted the disqualification penalty."