Sunday November 14, 2010, 08:16 AM

Australian Stuart Appleby surged home with a birdie-birdie finish to snatch the 1.5 million dollar (1.5 million US) Australian Masters by one stroke at Melbourne's Victoria Golf Club on Sunday.

Appleby reeled in faltering overnight leader Adam Bland with a six-under 65 to finish 10-under 274, while Tiger Woods produced his best golf to storm home for fourth, three shots away.

It was Appleby's first victory in the Australian Masters after winning the 2001 Australian Open and he joins six-time champion Greg Norman, Woods, Mark O'Meara and Bernhard Langer as winners of the Masters' gold jacket.

It was Appleby's second storming finish this year after he carded a closing 11-under 59 to claim the Greenbrier Classic on the US PGA Tour in West Virginia in August.

"I went into today with the feeling that I had to try and somehow find a way to get close enough to the leaders where it might make them change the way they were playing," Appleby said.

"I did use that experience of shooting 59 to try and put myself in that mood of trying to apply some pressure and to see what happens.

"I was thinking eagle-eagle over the last holes to give myself a chance.

"To have a win in August and now this one really wraps this year up in a nice bow for me."

Appleby, who began the day trailing leader Bland by seven strokes, only hit the front with his birdie at the 17th and sealed the deal with his birdie at the last.

Appleby had an unblemished round of six birdies and made only 27 putts to charge past the unheralded Bland, who was listed at 150-1 to win with bookmakers before the tournament.

Bland, who had led from the opening round, could not handle the pressure in the closing 18 holes and his three-stroke buffer melted away in a flurry of five bogeys in his two-over 73 to finish at nine-under 275.

Australian Daniel Gaunt was third at eight-under 276.

Appleby's 12th official tour victory was worth 270,000 dollars, but it was a special win for the home-town professional.

"It's very important for me. We play around the world for big money and big tournaments, but you come home to Australia and it's for real, it's not just 72 holes of golf," he said.

"That's probably hurt me too many times in the past and it's really helped me wanting to win this one."

Appleby's finish was matched in excitement by Woods's sensational six-under 65 to capture fourth place.

Woods strode from the final green with cheers ringing in his ears as he peeled off two eagles and two birdies in his closing six holes to finish with rounds of 69-72-71-65 for seven-under 277.

The rousing finish lifted Woods's spirits after a frustrating week and gave him renewed confidence in his attempt to break his tournament drought this year at next month's final Chevron World Challenge tournament in California.

"I have two weeks off and then play the Chevron so I am pretty excited about it," Woods said.

"Some of the things I am working on are starting to gel but unfortunately not for the entire round, they are sporadic.

"So I'll do some more work when I get back home."

© 2010 AFP/sid