Jerry Kelly won the ISPS HANDA Senior Open at Gleneagles by two shots as he claimed a third PGA Tour Champions major of his career.
Kelly, who has twice triumphed at the Senior Players Championship, made birdie at his final hole on Sunday after escaping from a greenside bunker to finish on 10 under.
The 59-year-old shot a final-round two-under 68 in Perthshire with his gain at 18 following three birdies on his front nine and bogeys at six and 11.
Kelly, whose win earns him a spot at next year's 155th Open at St Andrews, said: "The senior Claret Jug is the trophy that I've wanted as an over-50 golfer more than any other.
"To do it in Scotland at the home of golf and to actually win and get into the home of golf at St Andrews, I mean, I'm absolutely speechless."
Cameron Percy, who shared the 54-hole lead with Kelly, was unable to break 70 across the weekend after carding 63 and 68 across the first two days,
The Australian's even-par fourth round meant he shared second place alongside South Africa's Darren Fichardt and America's Matt Gogel, with the latter notching a closing seven-under 63.
Scotland's Stephen Gallacher, outright fifth on six under par, was the highest European finisher and pipped Gogel for the round of the day by signing for an eight-under 62.
Gallacher, a four-time winner on the DP World Tour between 2004 and 2019, went out in 2019 with five birdies across his front nine.
Gains at 10 and 11 then left him seven under on the day before he bounced back from a solitary bogey at 12 by picking up a shot at 13 and then ending with a final birdie.
Stewart Cink won the first two majors of the PGA Tour Champions season - the Senior PGA Championship and the Regions Tradition - before Padraig Harrington scooped the US Senior Open.
Zach Johnson then claimed the Kaulig Companies Championship, formerly known as the Senior Players Championship - a tournament Kelly won in 2020 and 2022
