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American Dustin Johnson birdied the last two holes to claim his first victory on the US PGA Tour by beating Australian Robert Allenby by one shot at the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Tour rookie Johnson, 24, posted a three-under-par 69 for a nine-under 279 total while Allenby shot 70 in the final round at the Atunyote Golf Club course in Verona.

Allenby was a stroke ahead at the turn but bogeyed the par-four 15th after his tee shot drifted 40 yards right of the fairway into trees.

The big-hitting Johnson took advantage by rolling in a five-foot putt for birdie at the 17th and sinking an eight-footer at the 624-yard, par-five 18th to overtake his

Australian playing partner and claim the $1.08 million prize.

"Coming down 17 I knew I had to go birdie-birdie," said Johnson, who met the challenge with a huge drive at the 478-yarder that left him a wedge to the green, and a 357-yard drive at the last that allowed him to fire for the green.

"Robert played very well, just a few putts here and there he couldn't get to go in or he would be sitting here," added Johnson, who earned his tour card through qualifying school after playing on last year's winning Walker Cup team.

Seven players tied for third on 281, two behind Johnson -- Ryuji Imada of Japan (69), Australians Mathew Goggin (69) and Steve Allan (69) and Americans Woody Austin (69), Davis Love III (70), Robert Garrigus (69) and Charles Howell III (73).

Tag Ridings, who shared the third-round lead with Howell, struggled to a 79 for a total 287.

Allenby, gunning for his first US PGA Tour victory in seven years, completed the outward nine in three-under-par 33 with three birdies over his first five holes to reach nine under par for the tournament.

But the 37-year-old Australian, a four-times winner on the US tour and 13th on this year's US money list coming into the event, failed to add another birdie.

He left a 12-foot birdie chance at the finishing hole just short of the cup, symptomatic of his putting woes throughout the tournament played on rain-softened greens.

"I guess I could look at the putter today and say I left everything short," Allenby said. "All you can do is give it your best.

"Dustin played well the last four or five holes, all credit. He played the shots that needed to be played and made some good putts and I just didn't make the putts. At the end of the day, if you don't make the putts you ain't gonna win the tournament."

Reuters