July 11, 2011 -- Updated 1635 GMT (0035 HKT)
Steve Stricker celebrates after a birdie on the final hole won him the John Deere Classic for a third straight year.
(CNN) -- American Steve Stricker clinched a one-shot victory on the final day of the John Deere Classic to win the event in Illinois for the third year in a row.
The 44-year-old finished with two birdies to card a 69 and move onto 22-under-par, narrowly defeating rookie Kyle Stanley.
Canadian Matt McQuillan and world number 33 Zach Johnson were four strokes behind the 23-year-old Stanley, tied for third position on 17-under-par.
Stricker, who has claimed 19 tournament wins since turning pro in 1990, is only the 10th post-war golfer to have triumphed at the same event three years running.
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"It was an unbelievable week and an unbelievable finish," the new world number five told the PGA Tour's official web site. "I still can't believe I'm sitting here.
Stricker holed a 25-foot putt on the 18th to complete his triumph, having recovered from losing a five-stroke lead during his final round to emerge victorious.
"When I get into a situation where I have to make a putt, I feel like my nerves kind of go away and I focus extremely hard on trying to make that putt. And that's kind of like the little zone I got into on 17 and 18, I guess."
Americans Charles Howell III and Chez Reavie shared fifth place on the final leaderboard, both carding 16-under for their 72 holes.
Australia's Cameron Percy and Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe were tied for seventh on 15-under, with Briny Baird and Brian Gay one shot back in ninth.
Meanwhile, So Yeon Ryu defeated her fellow South Korean Hee Kyung Seo in a three-hole playoff to clinch the women's U.S. Open.
The 21-year-old secured her first major championship win after finishing the additional holes on two-under-par, three shots better than 25-year-old Seo.
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
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