Adam Hadwin snatches tense win over Patrick Cantlay in Tampa

Adam Hadwin edged out Patrick Cantlay in a thrilling final-day duel to collect his maiden PGA Tour title at the Valspar Championship in Tampa.

Hadwin held a four-shot lead overnight, but Cantlay piled on the pressure with five birdies in six holes and drew level when the Canadian double-bogeyed the 16th after finding water from the tee.

But Cantlay blocked his approach to the last into a bunker and under-hit his escape before missing his 15-foot par putt, and Hadwin played a classy "belly wedge" from the rear fringe and tapped in to complete a 71 for a winning score of 14 under par.

Hadwin was content to plot his way cautiously around the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook from the outset, making pars at the first five holes before a poor drive at the six led to a bogey, but Cantlay dropped a shot at the same hole to offset his birdie at the first.

Hadwin atoned with a superb 230-yard tee shot to 12 feet at the eighth which he converted for birdie, although Cantlay responded with a wedge to three feet at the next before rolling in another cool birdie putt to start the back nine.

The combatants traded birdies at the long 11th as well as the par-three 13th, where Hadwin holed a monster 53-foot putt for a two before Cantlay followed him in after a pure iron to five feet.

Cantlay pulled within a shot of the leader when he holed from 20 feet at the 14th, but he could not get up and down from sand at the next as Hadwin restored his two-stroke advantage.

But that was wiped out on the first hole of the fearsome Snake Pit, where Hadwin's visit to the water and Cantlay's cast-iron par left them tied for the lead with two holes remaining.

Both made solid threes at the tricky 17th, but Cantlay's routine approach to the 72nd green from the fairway came up short and right, although his runner-up finish secured him his PGA Tour card for the remainder of the season.

It was a remarkable performance from the 24-year-old, who was making only his second start since November 2014 having endured a lengthy rehabilitation from a hairline fracture in his back.

For Hadwin, who carded a magnificent 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January, the win booked him his first trip to the Masters next month and lifted him to fourth place in the FedExCup standings.

PGA Tour rookie Dominic Bozzelli earned the biggest cheque of his career as a closing 67 swept him into a share of third on 12 under with first-round leader Jim Herman, who fired a four-birdie 68.

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Tony Finau produced the round of the day, a flawless seven-birdie 64 propelling him to 11 under and outright fifth, while defending champion Charl Schwartzel birdied the last two holes to cap a 68 and finish five shots behind the champion.