BRISBANE, Nov 18: Defending champion Robert Allenby won the Australian PGA Championship by one stroke in a dramatic finish at the par-72 Royal Queensland course in Brisbane on Sunday.

Allenby took a two-shot lead over playing partner and fellow Australian Geoff Ogilvy into the final hole and made par after missing the green with his approach while Ogilvy had a birdie to almost force a playoff.

Allenby, 30, the world number 26, had a four-round total of 15-under par 273 (65-69-70-69) while Ogilvy, 24, had 14-under par 274 (71-66-68-69) in the A$1million (US$520,000) tournament.

Allenby, a winner twice on the U.S. Tour in 2000 and 2001, became the first player to win consecutive Australian PGA Championships since former world number one Greg Norman in 1984-85.

New Zealand’s Gareth Paddison, making his professional debut, and Australia’s Craig Parry were equal third on 11-under 277.

Matthew Goggin (66-71-70-71) was outright fifth on 10-under 278 while 46-year-old Norman (68-73-72-66) created some excitement earlier in the day with a final round of six-under par to surge up the leaders’ board, eventually finishing outright sixth on nine-under 279.

Leading final round scores (Australian unless stated):

273 Robert Allenby 65 69 70 69

274 Geoff Ogilvy 71 66 68 69

277 Gareth Paddison (New Zealand) 68 70 70 69, Craig Parry 70 65 70 72 278 Matthew Goggin 66 71 70 71

279 Greg Norman 68 73 72 66

280 Leigh McKechnie 71 70 69 70, Richard Lee (New Zealand) 68 67 74 71

281 Anthony Painter 70 68 72 71, David Gleeson 70 69 68 74

282 Nathan Green 71 72 72 67, Scott Gardiner 70 70 74 68, Michael Wright 71 71 71 69, Nick O’Hern 68 70 70 74—Reuters