Since watching that ball plop in the water in front of the 18th green during the playoff a year ago, Ryuji Imada has had one thought chewing through his white Titleist visor and into his brain.

He wasn't coming back to TPC Sugarloaf to finish second again.

CURTIS COMPTON / AJC (ENLARGE)

Ryuji Imada, who has finished second twice this season, is overjoyed after he knocks in a 4-footer for par to beat Kenny Perry in a playoff at 18.

CURTIS COMPTON / AJC (ENLARGE)

A disappointed Kenny Perry tosses his wedge after his fourth shot to the 18th green in the playoff spins right past the cup.

"I had one thing on my mind coming into this week, to get a win," Imada said. "To actually do it is just an unbelievable feeling."

The Japanese native by way of the University of Georgia made good on his word Sunday. Imada, 31, shot a 5-under 67 to finish tied with veteran Kenny Perry at 15-under 273, then won the AT&T Classic in a one-hole playoff.

In the playoff last year Imada gift-wrapped the title for Zach Johnson by hitting his approach shot in the water. This time he watched Perry's approach shot hit a tree, ricochet across the green and roll into the water. It allowed Imada — hitting eerily close to the same spot he was in the playoff a year ago — to play more conservatively and win with a par.

"It gave me another option to lay up and play smart and get my par or birdie the normal way," Imada said.

When Imada's testy four-foot par putt on the extra hole fell into the cup, he removed his visor and ran his hand through his black hair and enjoyed the moment. Watching nearby, his wife, Kanae, was moved to tears.

The win is Imada's first on the PGA Tour. The victory lessens the hurt of last year's playoff loss. It wipes away the sting of being disqualified at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he was swept away in the wake of a John Daly misadventure. Much like a win did here for then-little-known Zach Johnson in 2004, the victory has all the prospects of being a life-changing event.

"I'm just going to cherish this one and know I'm going to do my best in two weeks at Memorial," Imada said. "But nobody can take this one away from me."

The win also means Imada is eligible to play in his first Masters. Such a notion caused his eyes to sparkle.

"I have always dreamed about playing there since I was a kid," he said. "So I can't wait until next year and see what it's like at the Masters."

The victory was worth $990,000 and 4,500 FedEx Cup points. He's now No. 4 in earnings ($2.312 million) and No. 3 on the FedEx points list. When the new World Golf Rankings are released on Monday, Imada should improve significantly on his No. 68 standing and will get in the British Open for the first time, too.

"I never really believed in destiny, but I'm starting to believe it," Imada said.

Imada survived a packed leaderboard, which saw Charles Howell III, David Toms, Parker McLachlin, Jonathan Byrd and Kenny Perry all take a crack at holding the lead. Imada didn't grab his share of first place until a birdie on the 13th hole dropped his score to 14 under. Perry went ahead with a birdie at No. 16, but Imada evened things with birdie at No. 18.

"I was actually the chaser instead of being chased, so it was a little bit easier this time," Imada said. "Starting today I was three shots off the lead and I didn't quite get off to a very good start, but I knew if I just stick with it, I would have a chance. And by the 14th hole I was on top of the leader board."

IMADA'S VICTORY

• He's the fifth player to win his first PGA Tour event at the AT&T Classic

• He's the first Japanese player to win on the PGA Tour since Shigeki Maruyama in 2003.

• He's the sixth first-time winner on the Tour this year

• He's the fourth foreign-born player to win the AT&T Classic

• He earns an invitation to the Masters, the PGA Championship, the Memorial Tournament, the Players Championship and the Mercedes-Benz Championship.