Sepp Straka won The American Express by two shots over Justin Thomas on Sunday, finishing his third career PGA Tour victory at 25-under 263 with a final-round 70.

Sepp Straka boatraced his closest competitors for most of the back nine at the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West Sunday afternoon in the closing round of T. With a relatively comfortable lead, he could even afford two bogeys on the final three holes – his first of the 72-hole tournament – before closing it out with a two-putt for his third career PGA Tour victory.

Straka, one of more than a dozen active PGA Tour players from the University of Georgia, followed up his third-round 64 with a 70 on Sunday at the Stadium Course and at 25-under-par 263 won The American Express by two shots over Justin Thomas (66).

Straka’s round at La Quinta in many ways was the reverse of what might have been expected. Playing the back nine first, Straka made six birdies on the way to a 30, the kind of score generally associated with the front nine at the course that opened in 1959.

American Express prize money: Check out how much how much champion Sepp Straka and the rest of the field won at the PGA Tour event. Sepp Straka picked up this third PGA Tour title at The American Express. The big Austrian slept on the first 54-hole lead of his career.

Straka shot 8-under-par 64 for the second day in a row to surge to the lead on Saturday at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif. He's at 23 under and will take a four-stroke lead to Sunday's final round on Pete Day Stadium Course.

Sepp Straka won The American Express by two shots over Justin Thomas on Sunday, finishing his third career PGA Tour victory at 25-under 263 with a

Straka remained aggressive and stayed well in front while hunting down a comfortable two-shot victory over Justin Thomas.

Leading final round scores on Sunday in the US PGA Tour's American Express tournament in La Quinta, California (USA unless stated; par-72):

Pro Charley Hoffman dumped two golf balls into the water during the American Express — then got a “big break” after an intriguing rules talk.

Lower is now second behind only J.J. Spaun with one event left before signature-event exemptions are handed out.