Allenby blames putting for defeat

NEW YORK // Australia's Robert Allenby was left to lament a mediocre display with his putter over the closing holes of the Turning Stone Resort Championship on Sunday as his poor judgement on rain-softened greens cost him the title. Allenby, 37, birdied three of his first five holes in the final round but failed to get another and was overtaken by his playing partner Dustin Johnson, an American rookie, who birdied the last two holes for his maiden victory.

"I'm disappointed," Allenby said after a two-under-par 70 left him one shot behind Johnson's winning total of nine-under-par 279. "I came here to win." Allenby was gunning for his first US PGA victory in seven years, despite a solid season that had placed him 13th on the US money list coming into the tournament. "I haven't won for a while on the tour. I've played so well this year. I only had my eyes set on first, not second."

The Melbourne native blamed his putting, epitomised by the 12-foot birdie putt he left just shy of the cup at the 18th. "I guess I could look at the putter today and say I left everything short," Allenby said. "Yesterday [Saturday] I probably had the worst putting round in my life. You know, it's hard. The greens are really bumpy and soft. I know it's the same for everyone, but I just lost my nerve yesterday with the putter.

"I tried to regain it. I took the putter home last night and slept with it, handcuffed it to the bed and handcuffed me to the other side of it. Golf's one of those games. All you can do is just give it your best." Allenby saluted Johnson, 24, for finishing well but knew the elusive victory was well within his grasp. "Dustin played well the last four or five holes, all credit," he said. "He played the shots that needed to be played and made some good putts and I didn't make the putts.

"If you don't make the putts you ain't gonna win." * Agencies

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Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
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