PEBBLE BEACH >> Thongchai Jaidee and Justin Leonard played the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links four times within 90 minutes Sunday. It wasn’t speed golf or for charity, but an endurance test in one of the more unique professional tournament finishes in the iconic course’s 104-year history.

Jaidee, the former paratrooper in the Royal Thai Army, prevailed with a par 5 on the fourth playoff to win the PURE Insurance Championship, a PGA Tour Champions event, with a two-shot margin over Leonard, the 1997 British Open winner.

Both players, in the last twosome of the final round, parred the 18th in the first playoff and birdied it on the second playoff hole. The duo then both birdied the third playoff, the par 3 17th.

Returning to the 18th hole for the sixth time in the event’s three rounds, Leonard hit his tee shot left over a retaining wall. When the ball couldn’t be found, Leonard teed off again after a penalty, his fifth tee shot of the day on the 18th hole. He finished with a double-bogey 7 after also finding a fairway bunker.

Jaidee’s win continued the native Thailand golfer’s unique career. He began playing golf at age 16, improved his skills on a military team and turned pro at age 30. He never won on the PGA Tour but had 19 titles in far-flung locales on the European and Asian Tours.

“This is a very special week for me,” said Jaidee, 53, who last June claimed his first PGA Tour Champions and is the only Taiwanese player to win on the PGA Tour or PGA Tour Champions circuits. “I spent a lot of time working on my putting.

“This week, the driving played well, the irons played well and the putting is getting back. That’s why I made it. Everything is complete.”

Jaidee moved to 14 under and into the sole lead after sloping backspin on his fairway third shot gave him a short putt for birdie on the par 5 14th. He finished regulation with four straight pars en route to a six-birdie, one-bogey 67.

“Justin is a good guy and it was enjoyable to play with him,” said Jaidee. “Thank you to him.”

Leonard, 51, had six straight pars until his birdie on 18 moved him to the end-of-regulation-tie at 14-under 202 following a 68.

Playing with Jaidee, Leonard had five birdies in the fourth round, with his only bogey on the second hole. Leonard hasn’t won since the Stanford St. Jude Championship in 2008.

Besides in 12 PGA Tour titles, Leonard now has 19 career second-place finishes since joining the PGA Tour 30 years ago.

Arjun Atwal, who finished alone in third at 11-under after a 69, and Leonard were the only players to score in the 60s in all three rounds. Paul Stankowski finished fourth at 10-under following a 70.

Joe Durant, who finished among six players tied for 11th at 6-under, shot 65. It was the best final-round score and equaled the tournament’s lowest round.

Leonard, who put his television broadcast career mostly on hiatus to focus full-time this season on the Champions circuit, opened the event with a 69 at Pebble Beach and was among five players one stroke off the lead. The group was oddly tied for 10th after nine players shared the 18-hole lead at 4-under following 68s.

Leonard is scheduled be part of a network broadcast team next week at the Ryder Cup. He played in the event three times.

Defending champion Steve Flesch finished with a 70 and a 1-under 215.

Jaidee earned $345,000 of the $2.3 million purse, with Leonard receiving $202,400.