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California - Dustin Johnson birdied the final hole on Sunday to earn a one-stroke victory in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, becoming the first player in 20 years to win title two years in a row.
Unlike last year, when his 54-hole lead gave him the victory when rain washed out the final round, Johnson had to work to the bitter end.
He closed with a two-over 74 for a 16-under par total of 270.
Mark O'Meara in 1989-1990 was the last player to win back-to-back titles in this event.
"All you can ask for is a chance to win on the last hole," said Johnson, who birdied 18 from a bunker.
Former world number one David Duval shot a 69 and JB Holmes a 71 to share second on 271.
Paul Goydos, who started the day sharing the lead with Johnson, had a one-stroke lead until he plummeted down the leaderboard with a quadruple-bogey nine at the 14th. He carded a 78 and finished tied for fifth four shots adrift.
"It's such a gorgeous hole," Johnson said of Pebble's 18th, which hugs the Pacific coast. "If you miss it a little left, it's not so pretty."
He hit his approach shot into the front bunker, and blasted out to a bit over three feet.
He made the putt, to become the first player since Tiger Woods to come out of university and win in each of his first three years on the PGA Tour.
While Johnson's birdie ended Duval's hopes of a first victory since the Dunlop Phoenix on the Japan Golf Tour in 2001, Duval at least had the satisfaction of shooting four rounds in the 60s, something he also hadn't done since 2001.
"I certainly didn't think 69 would have given me a chance to the win the tournament," Duval said.
Holmes couldn't reach the 18th from the right rough and missed a 12-foot birdie attempt.
Goydos's round fell apart at the par-five 14th, where he was short of the green. He tried to flop the ball over a bunker and it squirted out and rolled down the slope. His chip up rolled back down and his sixth shot flew past the flag and stopped at the edge of the green, from where he three-putted.
Bryce Molder also took a nine at the hole.
Their struggles, and the overall rise in scores in Sunday's ocean breezes, were perhaps a preview of what awaits at the US Open, which will be held at Pebble Beach in June.
Leading final scores on Sunday in the $6.2 million Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (USA unless noted):270 - Dustin Johnson 64-68-64-74
271 - David Duval 67-68-67-69, JB Holmes 65-67-68-71
273 - Steve Marino 68-67-67-71
274 - Paul Goydos 67-65-64-78, JP Hayes 68-71-63-72, Josh Teater 70-67-68-69
275 - Tom Gillis 69-68-69-69, Phil Mickelson 68-67-69-71
276 - Blake Adams 65-74-66-71, Alex Cejka (GER) 65-67-69-75, Tim Clark (RSA) 70-68-68-70, Matt Jones (AUS) 67-67-66-76, Bryce Molder 67-65-68-76, DJ Trahan 67-67-69-73
Selected others:
277 - Luke Donald (GBR) 70-65-71-71, Steve Elkington (AUS) 68-67-71-71, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 69-67-69-72
278 - KJ Choi (KOR) 65-70-68-75, Greg Owen (GBR) 71-67-66-74
279 - Rod Pampling (AUS) 69-70-67-73, John Senden (AUS) 67-71-68-73, Charlie Wi (KOR) 68-74-66-71
280 - Greg Chalmers (AUS) 76-66-65-73, Nick O'Hern (AUS) 69-72-64-75, Vijay Singh (FIJ) 65-71-70-74
281 - Jason Day (AUS) 71-67-72-71
283 - Sergio Garcia (ESP) 68-71-67-77, Adam Scott (AUS) 73-71-64-75, Mike Weir (CAN) 67-70-73-73
