Henrik Stenson of Sweden holds up the trophy for winning the the Tour Championship golf tournament and the FedExCup trophy at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, Sept 22, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

ATLANTA - Henrik Stenson capped off the best stretch of his career with the biggest payoff in golf.

Stenson held off a brief challenge by 20-year-old Jordan Spieth and closed with a 2-under 68 to win the Tour Championship by three shots over Spieth and Steve Stricker. With the win, the 37-year-old Swede clinched the FedEx Cup and its $10 million bonus. Stenson also earned $1.44 million for winning the tournament.

He became the first European to win the Tour Championship since it began in 1987.

Spieth ran off four straight birdies on the back nine and briefly pulled to within one shot. But he caught a plugged lie in the bunker on the 17th to make bogey, and Stenson birdied the 15th to restore his margin.