Varner's final-round 68 at Trump National Golf Club Washington, DC, took him to 12-under for the week to stave off Branden Grace of South Africa by a shot. Chilean Mito Pereira, the leader entering Sunday's third and final round, settled for third at 10-under after a 71.

Cam Smith finished six-under and 11th after his even-par 72, while fellow Australians Matt Jones (69) was 23rd at two-under, Marc Leishman (72) one-over and Jed Morgan (74) five-over.

Varner, 32, won his first tournament since the Saudi International in February 2022 and his second since the Australian PGA Championship in December 2016.

"I'm getting better at golf," Varner said.

"That's always been my goal. I think big things are coming."

The winner of a US$4 million (A$6.1m) cheque for first place, Varner said he will put much of it toward his charitable organisation, the HV3 Foundation.

"I feel like I get to help a lot of people now, even more people, so that's what kills me sometimes because it costs a lot of money to help a lot of people," Varner said.

Pereira bogeyed each of his first two holes to open the door for Varner to move back ahead. Varner followed his first birdie at No.3 with his lone bogey of the day at the 4th, but he got one back with a birdie at the par-5 7th.

Varner's most significant shot of the day was a hole-out for birdie from a greenside bunker at the par-4 11th. After Pereira put his third shot to within four feet of the pin, Varner splashed his ball out and watched it roll straight downhill into the cup.

Grace made a charge up the leaderboard with a bogey-free, six-under 66. He started his day on the 3rd hole and birdied two of his last three – the 18th and 2nd – to get to 11-under. So, Varner was forced to birdie his final hole to avoid a play-off.

Torque GC won the team competition with a combined score of 27-under for the week. David Puig of Spain fired a 66, Sebastian Munoz of Colombia had a 70, and Pereira's 71 contributed to Sunday's score.

Torque beat the all-South African Stinger GC (24-under), led by captain Louis Oosthuizen, Grace and Charl Schwartzel.