Ariya wins first LPGA title

Ariya Jutanugarn watches her tee shot at the fifth hole of Sunday's final round during her first LPGA win at the Yokohama Tire Classic at Prattville, Alabama. (AFP photos)

PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA - After shooting a course record 63 in Alabama on Saturday, Bangkok's Ariya "Nong May" Jutanugarn shot even par on Sunday to become the first Thai ever to win an LPGA tournament early Monday, Thailand time.

Ariya was shaking over her final 5-foot putt, with personal, Thailand and LPGA Tour history on the line. And she made it.

"Last putt my hand shake, my leg shake," Jutanugarn said. "I've had that before but I have not had it this bad before. My putter's shaking, and I'm like, OK just go out from here."

Ariya finished Sunday with a one-under par 71, with three bogeys and four birdies. She was a stroke ahead of two American and one South Korean golfer on the leaderboard at the LPGA Tour Yokomama Tire LPGA Classic at Prattville, Alabama.

The long-hitter gave cheering fans a wave and smile as she approached the final green, chipping to 5 feet to set up a par putt. Ariya finished at 14-under 273 on the Senator Course at Capitol Hill.

Ariya overcomes nervous shakes and drains her needed birdie putt on the final hole.

The 20-year-old Thai went into Sunday's final round (US time) with a three-stroke lead she built up during Saturday's fantastic third round.

She birdied eight of the final nine holes Saturday to match the tournament record at 9-under par 63.

On Sunday, she coasted to victory, pushed at times by Stacy Lewis, Morgan Pressel and Amy Yang.

Ariya's final score was 274, or 14 under par. Yang, Lewis and a suddenly surging Minjee Lee of Australia all finished at 13 under.

Yang bogeyed the 17th in a 67. Lewis shot her third straight 68. Pressel also had a 68.

Lewis had her 10th runner-up finish in a 49-event drought. The 11-time tour winner has 23 career second-place finishes.

Ariya's drive on the final hole went into the left rough and her second shot didn't make the green but landed above the bunker.

Ariya had twice held 54-hole leads but failed to convert those to victories.

There was plenty of drama but no ending collapse this time. Last month in the ANA Inspiration, she had a two-stroke lead with three holes left and closed with three bogeys to finish fourth - two strokes behind winner Lydia Ko in the major championship. In the 2013 LPGA Thailand at age 17, Ariya blew a two-stroke lead with a closing triple bogey in a one-stroke loss to Inbee Park.

She handled the pressure from an array of challengers better this time.

"This tournament was very different than ANA," Ariya said. "Because first hole of this tournament I'm very excited and very nervous because I (have a) three-shot lead, and ANA one shot behind."

Pornanong "Waen" Phatlum, of Chaiyaphum, the top Thai money-earner on the LPGA tour for the past two years, finished in a three-way-tie for 13th, at nine under par. Pornanong's four rounds were 75, 65, 70, 69.

Nontaya Srisawang of Chiang Mai tied for 33rd place at three under par, while Ariya's sister Moriya finished at three over par in a three-way tie for 64th place. Moriya finished 41st in the same tournament last year.