Nick Watney gave US Ryder Cup team captain Davis Love III a timely nudge by taking advantage of a bad day for Sergio Garcia to win The Barclays.
The 31-year-old American had been enduring a disappointing year but put that behind him to register a three-shot victory after a closing 69, with Brandt Snedeker second at the Bethpage Black course near New York.
Garcia was seeking back-to-back triumphs after winning the Wyndham Championship last Monday, but went from the top of the leaderboard at the start of the day to a tie for third alongside Dustin Johnson after a four-over-par 75.
Love III is due to name his 12 players on September 4 for the match against Europe at Medinah, starting on September 28.
Watney entered the world's top 10 for the first time last year but has since drifted to 35th in the rankings, his position before this triumph.
He is outside the qualifying places for the American team so will be relying on a wild-card, but there could hardly be a better time to win and remind Love of his ability.
Bookmaker
Sky Bet offer 7/1 that Watney will be given a wild-card.
Snedeker and Johnson, who had final rounds of 70 and 68 respectively, could say the same. They too are outside the top eight in the points standings. Love has four captain's picks.
England's former world No 1 Lee Westwood finished in a share of fifth place with Graham DeLaet, Louis Oosthuizen and Brian Harman.
Westwood, who will be in Medinah, had a closing 70 while DeLaet had a best-of-the-day 65 to leap 38 places on the leaderboard.
Luke Donald finished 10th after a one-under-par 70 and Padraig Harrington, who led after a first-round 64 before throwing in back-to-back 75s, completed his week's work with a 68 for a share of 19th.
Harrington is a long shot for Europe's team, captain Jose Maria Olazabal has indicated.
Rory McIlroy had a closing 72 to tie for 24th, while it was a day to forget for Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the multiple Major winners crumbled to rounds of 76 and fell 28 places to tie for 38th.
