Hunter Mahan, the 25-year-old Californian, has secured a place in next year’s Mercedes-Benz Championship after claiming a play-off victory for his very first PGA Tour title.

As the season opener, the Mercedes-Benz Championship is one of the most prestigious events on the Tour and Mahan is now in possession of an invite.

His performance at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut also earned him a cheque for $1,080,000 (£541,000), which will come as a huge boost to the talented young golfer.

It was a tense affair in Connecticut, with Mahan first sinking a birdie at the last hole of regulation and then firing to within a couple of feet of the pin on the first play-off hole.

Playing partner Jay Williamson missed his seven-foot effort, leaving Mahan to soak up the generous applause from an enthralled gallery.

He afterwards reflected: "Knowing that you can win and actually winning are two different things. To win the way I did is just amazing to me. To have to birdie in a playoff, especially after he hit that shot in there, is mind-boggling."

Held at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course in Hawaii since 1999, the Mercedes-Benz Championship is only open to golfers who have won an event on the Tour in the previous season. It takes place in the first weekend in January and it was last year won by Fijian Vijay Singh.

Those already qualified for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz Championship include Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, as well as Swede Henrik Stenson and Australian Adam Scott.

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