SILVIS, July 13, 2014 (AFP) - Harman became the 20th player to win his first US tour crown at the $4.7 million event, firing a final-round 66, five-under par, to finish 72 holes on 22-under 262.
Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion and a home-area hero who won the event in 2012, settled for his third runner-up showing in the event on 263.
Harman, who matched his best prior US PGA finish with a third-place effort at Riviera in February, had missed the cut the past two weeks but took home the top prize of $846,000 at Deere Run.
The victory qualified Harman for the British Open at Royal Liverpool, which starts Thursday in Hoylake, England.
"I brought my passport and a couple of jackets," Harman said. "I can't wait to get on that plane."
Harman eagled the par-5 second after putting his approach four feet from the cup, took a bogey at the fifth but responded with a 30-foot birdie putt at the ninth and added a 16-foot birdie putt at the par-5 10th.
Johnson kept the pressure on Harman with a bogey-free round of 64 that included birdies at 13, 14 and 17 to stay on the leader's heels.
But Harman answered the challenge with three birdies in a row starting with an eight-foot birdie putt at the 14th followed by a 15-foot birdie putt at 15 and a six-footer at the par-3 16th.
That allowed Harman to par the 17th and bogey 18 for the victory.
Scores on Sunday after the final round of the $4.7 million PGA John Deere Classic (par 71, USA unless noted):
262 - Brian Harman 63-68-65-66
263 - Zach Johnson 63-67-69-64
265 - Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) 69-68-63-65, Jerry Kelly 66-68-65-66
266 - Scott Brown 67-70-61-68, Tim Clark (RSA) 72-63-64-67
268 - Bo Van Pelt 67-69-67-65, Jordan Spieth 71-64-67-66, Ryan Moore 66-67-67-68, Johnson Wagner 66-65-69-68
269 - Steven Bowditch (AUS) 64-67-70-68, Steve Stricker 68-65-64-72
270 - Kevin Na 68-66-71-65, Bryce Molder 73-65-67-65, Shawn Stefani 73-67-64-66, Chad Campbell 69-71-62-68, David Toms 65-70-67-68, Daniel Summerhays 69-68-65-68, Brad Fitsch (CAN) 70-68-63-69
272 - Kevin Kisner 68-72-68-64, Troy Merritt 68-70-66-68, D.H. Lee (KOR) 72-66-66-68
273 - John Rollins 72-68-66-67, Charlie Beljan 71-68-66-68, Charles Howell 66-68-67-72, William McGirt 64-66-69-74