In a 36-hole final that featured five lead changes, Stenson closed out the defending champion with back-to-back birdies for a 2-and-1 victory that moved the 30-year-old Swede among the elite in golf at No. 5 in the world ranking.

Ogilvy's 11-match winning streak was still alive after making two clutch pars to stay only one hole down. Stenson seized control for good with an 8-iron into 2 feet for birdie on the par-3 16th. Needing only two putts from 60 feet on the par-5 17th, Stenson's putt trickled within a few inches of the cup.

It was the 120th hole he played at The Gallery, but it was quite a payoff. Stenson earned $1.35 million for his first World Golf Championship win, and first victory that counts on the PGA Tour.

It was a grind for both of them, a long day that began with Stenson tugging a knit cap over his ears in the frosty morning, and ended with the Swede in short sleeves posing with the biggest trophy of his career.

Stenson won for the second time this month, both times in the desert -- at the Dubai Desert Classic three weeks ago, and in the high desert north of Tucson where he didn't have his best golf, but it was good enough.

''I was struggling big time,'' Stenson said. ''I don't know how I managed to get it all together. I couldn't say I was floating around thinking how great I was playing. I was happy I could hang around all day.''

Stenson had a 2-up lead after the morning round, then found himself 2-down with 10 holes to play. But he won three of the next four holes, twice with help from the U.S. Open champion. With all the momentum on his side, Ogilvy three-putted from 60 feet at No. 9, then flew the 11th green with a wedge for another bogey.

''Things were going my way,'' Ogilvy said. ''It was a ridiculous gift to three-putt the ninth. I can't even begin to describe how stupid that was. I didn't do it on purpose.''