DEARBORN, Michigan (Ticker) -- Stewart Ginn's back nine was too much for Jim Thorpe's front or anything his playing partners could throw at him.

Ginn claimed his first Senior PGA Tour victory Sunday, winning the Senior Players Championship with a back nine that began with four birdies and included a title-clinching putt at the 17th hole.

A 53-year-old Australian appearing in his 75th Senior Tour event, Ginn won the final major of the season with a four-round total of 14-under-par 274, holding off Thorpe, Mike McCullough and Hubert Green by a stroke.

Ginn rallied from a four-shot deficit, thanks to a sensational back nine that propelled him to a 6-under 66 at the TPC of Michigan. He bogeyed the 18th hole but still earned the $375,000 top prize.

"I'm just happy to play the game, and I enjoy what I can do," said Ginn, who bears a striking resemblance to movie director Steven Spielberg. "I know I can play, I know I can win. I'm just so happy to be able to win."

Thorpe carded a bogey-free 65 that featured four birdies and an eagle over the first eight holes. He parred each of the last six to finish at 13-under 275 and remain winless since The Tradition -- the first major of the season.

"My round today was very, very solid," he said. "I don't think there's anything I could have done today."

McCullough and Green made a run at their playing partner but came up just short. McCullough began the day with a one-stroke lead but played the first 12 holes in 1-over en route to a 71. Green bogeyed the 14th hole and shot a 70.

"You can't take away anything from a winner of any golf tournament," McCullough said. "He deservedly played well. He came from way back, played a real, good, solid last day. He made some key shots and putts when he had to. Just marvelous."

Ginn had eight birdies and a bogey in the final round. He started the back nine three shots off the pace but birdied Nos. 10-13 and rolled in a 15-footer at the 17th to build a two-shot lead.

The key of the round may have been the 13th hole, where he got up-and-down from a greenside bunker, tapping in from a foot.

"That really set my soles right there," Ginn said. "I think that made the tournament for me walking onto the 14th tee."

A 17-time winner worldwide who resides in Malaysia, Ginn pulled within a stroke of McCullough with a birdie at the third hole and had consecutive birdies at Nos. 5 and 6 to remain a shot off the pace.

Ginn's performance came from nowhere. His previous best finish was a runner-up showing at last year's Bruno's Memorial Classic and he had placed better than 12th just once in 18 starts this season.

"It's good for Stewart," McCullough said. "He's been knocking on the door for a long time. It's good for him to get a victory."

Thorpe had a chance to become the first two-time major winner on the Senior Tour since Hale Irwin and Gil Morgan both did it in 1998.

Fuzzy Zoeller, who finished seven strokes back, won the Senior PGA Championship for his first win on the elder circuit. Don Pooley did the same at the Senior U.S. Open but was 11 shots behind.