South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim has won the Evian Championship, beating Aussie veteran Karrie Webb on the final green by one stroke.

Kim, a KLPGA member, completed the victory with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to record her first LPGA title and first major championship victory. Kim led by three strokes early in the final round before two bogeys at the 14th and 16th allowed Webb to make a final charge. Webb took the lead for the first time in the tournament with a par on the 16th and followed with another par on the 17th.

Holding a one-shot lead starting the final hole, Webb’s approach shot to the 18th missed the green, while Kim hit an excellent approach shot that landed 12 feet from the hole, giving her a birdie opportunity.

Unheralded South Korean Hyo Joo Kim birdied the final hole to win the Evian Championship. PHOTO: Getty Images Unheralded South Korean Hyo Joo Kim birdied the final hole to win the Evian Championship. PHOTO: Getty Images

A dramatic finish to the season’s last major loomed, with Webb facing a difficult downhill shot from the left side of the final green. Her running chip came agonisingly close to going in before sliding ten feet past the hole. Kim seized her chance by holing her birdie putt, leaving Webb to sink her par putt just to force a play-off. When Webb missed, Kim was left to celebrate her first LPGA victory, an impressive feat for a 19 year-old.

Kim finished 11-under-par for the tournament, a tally built largely on a record ten-under 61 in the first round. Kim became the first non-LPGA member to win on Tour since Teresa Lu won the Mizuno Classic in 2013. Winning the Evian Championship provides Kim with the opportunity to accept LPGA Tour status, which can be taken now for the rest of 2014 or deferred until the 2015 season.

The new champion is projected to move from No.20 to tenth in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She also becomes the fourth South Korean to win on the LPGA Tour this season, along with InbeePark, Mirim Lee and So Yeon Ryu.

LEADERBOARD

1. Hyo Joo Kim (S.Kor)          61-72-72-68—273

2. Karrie Webb (Qld)          65-71-70-68—274

T3. Ha Na Jang (S.Kor)          70-71-68-66—275

T3. Mi Jung Hur (S.Kor)        66-69-72-68—275

5. Na Yeon Choi (S.Kor)         70-72-67-67—276

Also:

T16. Minjee Lee (WA)          72-67-73-71—283

T36. Katherine Kirk (Qld)   71-70-77-71—289

T67. Sarah Kemp (NSW)     71-76-76-73—296

72. Sarah-Jane Smith (Qld)  68-78-83-78—307

*For the full leaderboard, click here