Allenby wins Australian PGA by four

In the end the margin was four strokes but Robert Allenby admits he clawed his way
to victory in the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum on Sunday.
The claw it turns out, is the 38-year-old's new putting grip.
Warming up on the greens at Tiger Woods' tournament in Washington just before the
British Open in July, three-time major winner Vijay Singh couldn't quite believe
what he was seeing.
"Bro, you've got to do something about that putting," the Fijian told Allenby,
suggesting he try a `claw' grip.
Allenby did just that and it's starting to pay big dividends.
He backed up his $1.3 million play-off victory at the lucrative Nedbank Challenge in
South Africa seven days ago, closing with a flawless 66 on a muggy Sunday afternoon
to claim his fourth title.
He is now within one more championship of equalling the feats of greats Kel Nagle
and Billy Dunk who have their name on the Joe Kirkwood Cup five times each.
Allenby hardly played a false stroke as the challenge from defending champion Geoff
Ogilvy and Australian Open winner Adam Scott failed to materialise on the final day.
"I felt totally in control on every shot. It was a nice feeling to win in that
fashion, to walk down the 18th fairway with a four shot lead," Allenby said.
"There was a lot of tough competition behind me and I have a lot of respect for them.
"To do it under the gun in the final rounds is special.
"At the start of the week I thought I had enough energy to play well.
"Yesterday and today I played flawless golf."
Gallant Queenslander John Senden (73 67 67 67), who hits more greens in regulation
than any other player on the US Tour, did his best to catch Allenby, getting within
a shot after an eagle birdie on the fifth.
Gritty West Australian Scott Strange lost few admirers, outshining some of the
tournament big names in matching his impressive top five finish in last year's PGA
championship.
Allenby played the final round in a pink shirt in honour of his mother Sylvia who
died last year of cancer.
It was clearly an emotional moment after winning in Australia for the first time in
four years.
"It was good to win wearing a pink shirt," he said before rushing to catch a flight
to Melbourne where he'll host a charity golf day and dinner on Monday to raise money
for cancer.
Strange, who played with a hand injury suffered before the tournament, said a "cold
putter" had cruelled his hopes of winning.
"I thought I could take Robert today," he said.
"Robert's putts dropped, mine didn't.
"I felt I played good enough to win this week."
Scott's effort to back up last week's Australian Open win had a Tin Cup-like ending
as he ploughed two balls into the water trying to hit the 18th green.
The tournament confirmed the bright futures of young guns Marc Leishman (70 71 66
68) who finished fourth and Michael Sim (71 70 65 70) who tied for fifth with Nick
O'Hern (70 70 69 67).