Oct 5, 2008 - 9:17 PM
0 shoutsVERONA, New York (Ticker) -- Dustin Johnson finished Sunday's final round of the $6 million Turning Stone Championship with a flourish en route to his first career win on the PGA Tour.
Johnson birdied Nos. 17 and 18 on his way to a 9-under-par 279 - one shot ahead of Robert Allenby, who posted a 2-under 70 in the final round but did not record a birdie on the back nine. Allenby bogeyed No. 15, which ultimately led to his demise.
Starting the day two shots off the lead, Allenby played his first nine holes at 3-under to move to 9-under overall. The Australian registered birdies at Nos. 2, 3 and 5 but could not finish it off.
"Yeah, I'm disappointed," Allenby said. "I hit some putts that could have gone in. I mean, the greens are pretty bumpy, and it's really hard. The thing is, when you're putting on greens like this, it's so hard to commit to hit like a foot, two feet past the hole."
Instead, it was the clutch play of Johnson - who is in his first full year on the tour - that was the story of the day.
"Hasn't quite sunk in yet, so I don't really quite know what's going on yet," Johnson said. "Obviously, it's a great feeling. I feel like I've worked real hard the last month to get my game in shape to be in the position to win a tournament, so I'm very excited."
The American played in just one event last year but recorded his third top-10 finish in 2008 after firing 3-under 69 in Sunday's final round. He admitted that his game had felt good coming into this event.
"I've worked very hard the last month on pretty much my whole game - putting, short game and also ball-striking," he said. "So, I felt comfortable coming in this week."
Johnson had five birdies in the round, including a dramatic one on the par-5 18th to win the $1.08 million first prize.
"All week (No. 18) has been playing a little downwind off the tee," Johnson said. "I can carry the bunker on the left, so off the tee I just hit it right at a little tree on the other side of the bunker, and I hit it at it.
"I hit a very good drive. So, we were kind of in between clubs on the last hole. I was in between my rescue and my three-iron, so I played rescue. Hit it good just right at the flag. It was a hair long, and hit a pretty good chip and then had about a 12-footer straight up the hill and made it."
Seven players were tied at 7-under 281 - two shots back - including Davis Love III and Charles Howell III, who fired a 1-over 73 in the final round.
Tag Ridings, who was tied for the lead with Howell III entering Sunday's play, plummeted dramatically. Ridings imploded in his final 18 holes, carding four bogeys and a double-bogey on No. 13 en route to a 79. He finished at 1-under 287.
The leader after the first two rounds, Jeff Overton carded a 73 to finish at 6-under 282.
