Victoria’s Matthew Griffin has pulled off the biggest win of his career, with a birdie at the final hole to capture the BMW ISPS Handa New Zealand Open title by a single stroke.

In what will go down as the biggest victory of his career thus far, the 32-year-old stood on the 18th tee of The Hills course trailing Japan’s Hideto Tanihara by one shot. A massive drive straight down the fairway of the difficult par-4 left Griffin with just 114 metres to the flag.

Matt Griffin clinches the New Zealand Open with a great birdie at the final hole. PHOTO: Harley Peters/Getty Images. Matt Griffin clinches the New Zealand Open with a great birdie at the final hole.
PHOTO: Harley Peters/Getty Images.

Meanwhile, Tanihara’s drive ran off the undulating fairway and into the rough. From there, the 11-time winner on the Japanese Tour hit his approach into a deep greenside bunker and did not receive a favourable lie.

The advantage quickly swung to Griffin, who smoothed a pitching wedge into five feet from the hole. When Tanihara played his bunker shot out to 15 feet but failed to convert the par saver, Griffin was left with a putt to win the championship.

LEADERBOARD  | VIDEO: THE WINNING PUTT

“I hit a wedge to a nice close range, long enough to still miss, so it was nice to roll it in,” said Griffin, who rolled the tournament-winning putt straight in the middle. “It was the most nervous I’ve been, I did a lot of deep breathing on the green and it was a nice putt.”

Griffin began the final round two shots behind Tanihara but started his chase the best way possible when he made an eagle at the opening hole as Tanihara parred, evening the ledger at the top of the leaderboard.

With their closest rivals five and six shots in arrears, the afternoon quickly developed into a two-man duel, as the pair jockeyed for the outright lead.

Griffin seemed to be chasing for most of the back nine, especially after a bogey on the par-5 13th, against Tanihara’s birdie saw him slip two shots behind. But the margin was one again when the Japanese player dropped a shot at the next. The one shot status quo with Tanihara in front remained until the last putt.

"This is huge, I have won some big events in Korea but this is definitely the biggest win of my career,” an ecstatic Griffin said. “To win the New Zealand Open that has some many great names on the trophy it is a real step forward for me.

Griffin and the prestigious New Zealand Open trophy. PHOTO: Hannah Peters/Getty Images. Griffin and the prestigious New Zealand Open trophy.
PHOTO: Hannah Peters/Getty Images.

“My girlfriend Liz, family and friends are here, the celebrations are going to be pretty big. It’s the first time that my parents have travelled overseas to see me play and it’s the biggest amount of people I’ve had at any event and there will be a drink out of that trophy before the night is over!”

Griffin collected NZ$180,000 for the win, which sees him move to the top of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

The PGA Tour of Australasia now moves back to Australia for the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship to be played at City Golf Club, Toowoomba, from March 17 to 20 March.