Justin Rose's wait for a first win in America goes on, after his birdie attempt slipped by the 90th and final hole at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic - and allowed home hope Charley Hoffman to break his tour duck instead, after a playoff against his compatriot John Rollins.

Long-time leader Rose - five clear during the fourth round and three ahead early on the last day in California - still shared top spot with one to play.

But while the 26-year-old - winner of the Australian Masters in his last start of 2006 - could only par the 564-yard 18th at the Country Club, Hoffman - in the group ahead - made eagle, and fellow American Rollins then birdied to force the play-off.

Rose, who managed only a four-over-par 76 in the difficult conditions, had to settle for third place - and his 17th top-10 finish on the US Tour.

Jeff Quinney and Heath Slocum shared fourth - the former after a dramatic hole-in-one on the 17th had brought him only one behind.

There was no last-day charge from Masters champion Phil Mickelson. In his first tournament since the Ryder Cup last September, he slumped to a 78 and finished only 45th. Ian Poulter matched Rose's 76 to be tied for 60th.

Hoffman prevailed when he made a birdie in the play-off to defeat Rollins - on the same hole where he had made his 11-foot eagle putt in regulation on 18.

Rollins got into the play-off by two-putting from 25 feet on his final hole, but his drive on the playoff hole went right into the fairway bunker.

Hoffman, who earns $900,000 for his victory, and Rollins both finished on a 17-under 343.

Rose admitted he found his round a struggle in the windy Californian weather. "I think the wind was playing us today," he said.

"I think it was a bit of a shame, really, because it was survival more than anything. I don't think there was much great golf being played out there."

Rollins for one nonetheless thought for a long time the Englishman would stay out in front - while Hoffman surprised himself by coming out on top.

"I definitely feel like the survivor," he said.

"I didn't think I had a chance - but somehow I got it done."

Rollins added: "I really wasn't thinking about winning.

"I figured this was a warm-up for the year. I thought Justin was going to run away with it."

Collated final-round scores (USA unless stated, par 72):

343 Charley Hoffman 66 70 68 68 71 (Won at the 1st playoff Hole), John Rollins 67 67 69 67 73

344 Justin Rose (Eng) 67 65 66 70 76

345 Jeff Quinney 68 69 69 66 73, Heath Slocum 68 68 69 68 72

346 Charles Warren 71 67 67 69 72, Cliff Kresge 72 68 68 66 72

347 Dudley Hart 66 70 70 67 74, Mark Calcavecchia 65 70 75 68 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 63 70 70 70 74, Harrison Frazar 68 71 68 69 71, Scott Verplank 66 66 68 74 73

348 Nick Watney 71 68 71 68 70, Bernhard Langer (Ger) 70 73 63 69 73, Lucas Glover 69 68 66 65 80, Ted Purdy 70 65 71 70 72, Johnson Wagner 66 67 74 67 74

349 Will MacKenzie 70 71 67 71 70, Joe Durant 68 68 69 68 76, Nathan Green (Aus) 70 68 68 68 75, Tom Johnson 70 68 68 71 72, Duffy Waldorf 71 71 65 66 76, Andrew Buckle (Aus) 67 73 66 69 74, Joe Ogilvie 71 72 67 71 68, Mark Hensby (Aus) 71 71 67 68 72, Tommy Armour III 69 69 71 68 72

350 Paul Stankowski 71 71 67 69 72, Bill Haas 68 73 67 70 72, Steve Flesch 68 70 70 69 73, Matt Kuchar 66 68 71 68 77, Craig Kanada 65 73 68 69 75, Jonathan Byrd 70 69 70 67 74

351 George McNeill 71 68 68 72 72, Vaughn Taylor 69 70 69 65 78, Anders Hansen (Den) 67 70 69 72 73, Cameron Beckman 70 69 69 68 75, John Senden (Aus) 73 64 68 72 74, Mark Wilson 70 72 71 69 69

352 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 71 71 67 70 73, Lee Janzen 71 66 71 71 73, David Duval 67 71 72 68 74, Shane Bertsch 67 68 71 70 76, Peter Lonard (Aus) 72 69 72 67 72, Bob Tway 70 70 69 68 75

353 Phil Mickelson 70 70 69 66 78, Anthony Kim 72 72 70 67 72, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 69 67 71 68 78

355 Paul Gow (Aus) 68 73 70 69 75, Paul Goydos 68 71 75 68 73, Shaun Micheel 69 69 75 68 74, Mike Weir (Can) 72 68 69 70 76, Ryan Armour 70 66 72 74 73

356 Jason Dufner 74 66 74 66 76, Paul Azinger 75 69 68 68 76, Craig Barlow 69 73 72 68 74, Brian Gay 71 70 69 72 74, Corey Pavin 67 70 73 70 76, Ken Duke 69 74 68 68 77, Woody Austin 69 70 73 64 80

357 Kevin Stadler 69 70 71 71 76, Steven Marino 75 69 67 68 78, Ian Poulter (Eng) 68 72 74 67 76, Kevin Sutherland 69 69 74 68 77, Brandt Snedeker 70 73 69 69 76

358 Robert Gamez 70 73 69 70 76, Kenny Perry 69 67 71 73 78, Dean Wilson 70 68 67 69 84, Bob Heintz 66 71 69 74 78, Charles Howell III 70 71 72 69 76, Jason Gore 66 75 67 72 78

359 Tripp Isenhour 66 70 73 71 79, Rich Barcelo 72 70 74 66 77

360 Kevin Na (Kor) 68 71 75 66 80

361 Briny Baird 71 69 68 74 79

362 Hunter Mahan 71 71 70 70 80

363 Steve Lowery 71 70 74 67 81