American youngster Jessica Korda has claimed the 2012 Women's Australian Open title after a dramatic six-player playoff at Royal Melbourne Golf Club on Sunday.
The daughter of former tennis star Petr Korda nailed a putt from 20-feet on the second playoff hole that eliminated Paraguayan Julieta Granada, Korean pair Hee Kyung Seo and So Yeon Ryu and Americans Brittany Lincicome and Stacy Lewis after all six players had finished the tournament tied at three-under.
Starting the day with a one-shot advantage, Korda looked on her way to victory when she birdied the 11th to move to five-under at the top of the leaderboard.
But the 18-year-old made three consecutive bogeys starting at the 14th to give the advantage to Seo and Ryu.
However, the Korean duo bogeyed the last, while Korda made a crucial birdie at the 17th and then had the chance to win it outright as she came up the final hole.
But Korda could only manage a par, as the six players went back to play the 18th to decide the winner.
All six made par the first time round, but it was Korda that came up trumps on the second occasion as she rolled in a long birdie to clinch the title.
Alone in seventh place, one shot behind, was Korean Jenny Shin, while American Katie Futcher and World No.1 Yani Tseng had to settle for a share of eighth at one-under.
Tseng, the 2010 and 2011 winner, could have been slightly excused for her poor final-day performance after needing to see the doctors for abdominal pain less than an hour before teeing off.
Nikki Campbell, meanwhile, had a tough time on the greens during her final round and eventually signed for a 77 that left her tied with Sarah Kemp (72) as the leading Australian at one-over.
Compatriot Karrie Webb (80) had a dreadful final day to finish the tournament in a share of 56th place at 13-over.