Dustin Johnson believes he can win a maiden major title after recovering from losing his overnight three-shot lead in two holes to eventually claim the WGC-HSBC Champions title in Shanghai.

Johnson played the last six holes in five-under par at Sheshan International Golf Club to card a 66 and finish on 24-under par, three ahead of defending champion Ian Poulter.

All three of the final group - Johnson, Poulter and Graeme McDowell - shot 66, meaning Poulter finished one ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate McDowell, with Spain's Sergio Garcia two shots behind in fourth after a closing 63.

US Open champion Justin Rose was fifth on 16 under and Rory McIlroy's share of sixth with Canada's Graham DeLaet on 15 under was more than enough to secure the former world No.1's place in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

"I didn't get off to the best start and Poulter and McDowell got off to great starts and put a lot of pressure on me. But I am swinging and putting well so I thought just stick to my game plan, play the golf course how I want to play it and it's going to come," Johnson said after claiming his eighth PGA Tour title and the first prize of £856,000. "They put a lot of pressure on me but I am really proud of myself and the way I handled it."

Johnson has not always handled such pressure so well, McDowell winning the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach after the American squandered a three-shot lead in the final round. After a triple bogey on the second hole and double bogey on the third, Johnson shot an 82 and McDowell's 74 was enough to win by one from France's Gregory Havret.

"It takes a while to learn that [maturity and patience]," added Johnson, who also missed out on a play-off for the 2011 US PGA Championship after a two-shot penalty on the 72nd hole for grounding his club in a bunker. "You learn from your mistakes and try to get better from them, and I think I showed a lot of patience and a lot of discipline with clubs I picked, and shot selection.

"This is the biggest win of my career and hopefully there are better things to come. A major is always the next step. Am I suited best for one? I don't think so. I think they all suit me very well. If I play like I did this week, I'm going to win one for sure."

Also enjoying success yesterday was Jamie McLeary, earning a debut season on next year's European Tour with his joint-second place in the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final at Al Badia Golf Club.

The Scot started the final day needing to finish no worse than tied for second with one other player to have a chance at making the top 15 in the rankings and, after four birdies in his first 13 holes to pull three clear of the chasing pack, and on his own in second, a bogey at the 15th led him to an eventual tie in second alongside José-Filipe Lima.

"I'm delighted," said the 32-year-old from Peterhead. ""I started to worry I would never make it to the European Tour, but I've got my chance now."