The Wales full back kicked 21 points and created tries for Jonny Sexton and George North to secure a first Test series victory since 1997.
Halfpenny, who was also named Six Nations Player of the Championship earlier this year, enjoyed a superb tour of Australia with his kicking game vital to the Lions’ success.
And after ending the trip Down Under with a Test victory, the Cardiff Blues man admitted the win was one of the highlights of his time in the game.
“I can’t put it into words how much it means. It’s everything I’ve dreamed of as a kid growing up watching Lions tours,” Halfpenny said.
“To be part of a winning Lions tour is up there with the best moments of my career.
“It’s a huge squad effort, there’s a lot of hard work gone in since the start and the goal has always been to come away with a series win and that’s what we’ve done.”
With the two teams going into the Sydney decider locked at 1-1, it was hard to see either side dominating the game at the ANZ Stadium. But the Lions proved to have far too much for their opponents as a second half blitz saw them seal what was ultimately a comfortable success.
Sexton, North and Jamie Roberts put the gloss on the win with Halfpenny playing a vital role in two of those scores. It was his pass that found Irish fly half Sexton to race over before a superb break from a poor Australian clearance gave North an easy finish in the corner.
“It was nice to be able to create some tries for the boys through a bit of counter-attack,” Halfpenny added.
“I can’t put into words how amazing it feels. There’s no better feeling than seeing the boys going over for all the tries.”
Halfpenny’s relentless accuracy from the tee was one of the defining moments of the 2013 tour, the 24-year-old finishing the trip with an astonishing 89 per cent kicking record. Remarkably, 40 of his 45 kicks at goal were successful.
It helped him move past Neil Jenkins’ previous Lions’ record of 41 points in a series although he did not always have it his own way.
A long range penalty from Halfpenny in the second Test would have sealed the series for the Lions but the full back’s last minute effort came up short. It was a disappointment that Halfpenny revealed hurt at the time but also served as a motivation.
“I had the chance to win it for the Lions and I didn’t take it. That is what all the hard work is for, for moments like that. I was devastated at not being able to do it,” Halfpenny added.
“It was hard after the game, I was pretty down. It was tough, really tough.
“But we had another chance and people made that clear to me. Not often in sport do you get a second chance.
“I used it as a motivation because the disappointment can stay with you. I wanted to be a part of a Lions series win and it helped me.”
