LONDON • Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn beat American Emma Talley on the second hole of a play-off to win the LPGA World Invitational title on Sunday.
The pair had begun the day tied for the lead with Jennifer Kupcho and the same trio reached the 18th tee locked together on 16-under, only for Kupcho to make a costly bogey after pulling her approach into the water at Galgorm Castle in Northern Ireland.
Both then made par on the first extra hole and another on the second was enough for 22-year-old Pajaree to secure her first Tour title after Talley missed the green.
Her family was on site to witness the proceedings. After the play-off, her father picked her up and spun her around in excitement.
"He's always been by my side along the way from the very beginning of my career, and just to be able to share it with him was very, very special," said Pajaree, who closed with a three-under 70 for a 16-under 275 total.
She overcame a triple-bogey at the par-four sixth hole with five birdies on the front nine, adding two birdies and one bogey on the back.
Talley's up-and-down final round included seven birdies and four bogeys.
"We were both a little nervous on the play-off holes. They weren't great shots. But she played great today. She putted amazing," she said.
Kupcho's late error left her with a 71 for third place on 276. Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul (70) was a stroke back in fourth.
The event is co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and European Tour.
In the men's event run alongside the LPGA tournament, England's Daniel Gavins overturned a seven-shot deficit to claim his first European Tour title.
He carded a bogey-free five-under 65 for a 13-under winning total of 267, one ahead of compatriot David Horsey (72).
Gavins was world No. 995 at the end of last year and had never previously recorded a single top-10 finish on the European Tour.
Separately, LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam fired a four-under 68 on Sunday to win the US Senior Women's Open by eight strokes.
The 50-year-old, who retired in 2008 with 72 LPGA victories, including 10 Majors, finished on 12-under 276 at the Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Connecticut.
The win earns her an exemption to next year's US Women's Open at Pine Needles in North Carolina - the site of her 1996 US Women's Open title.
"It's really a dream come true," Sorenstam said.
"I worked hard for this championship. When I turned 50, I said, 'I'm gonna play.' Coming back from 13 years was not easy."
Fellow Swede Liselotte Neumann finished second after a 74 left her on 284. England's Laura Davies (71) was third on 285.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
