Pano carded a six-under-par 66 in the final round to finish even with England's Gabriella Cowley (70) and Germany's Esther Henseleit (69) at eight under 281 at Galgorm Castle Golf Club.

Returning to the 18th hole for the playoff, Pano and Cowley each made a birdie and Henseleit ended up with a par – eliminating the German from the proceedings.

Cowley misfired on a short putt on the second playoff hole in her bid for her first career LPGA Tour victory. Pano carded a birdie on the third playoff hole at No.18 to grab her first career LPGA and Ladies European Tour win and pocket $US225,000.

“I’ve kind of been saying that I really wanted to win this event because it’s on my birthday,” Pano said.

“My best friend can contest it’s been for like two months. It feels so surreal that it’s happened. It’s been a little bit crazy because I didn’t have my clothes and clubs earlier in the week, but it’s all worth it.

“It just feels so surreal right now to have my dad on the bag as well. I can’t actually process that that just happened.”

Alexa Pano was clinical with her ball-striking during the final round. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Pano became the third LPGA Tour rookie to win this season. Sydneysider Grace Kim captured the LOTTE Championship and Rose Zhang won the Mizuho America's Open.

In the concurrently played men's event, England's Daniel Brown claimed his first DP World Tour title with a wire-to-wire victory.

Brown carded a closing 69 at Galgorm Castle to finish 15 under par, five shots clear of compatriot Alex Fitzpatrick.

The 28-year-old took a six-shot lead into the final round but quickly saw that cut in half as he bogeyed the opening hole and Fitzpatrick birdied the 1st and 2nd holes.

Both players bogeyed the 3rd and Fitzpatrick also dropped a shot on the 4th before Brown birdied the 5th and 6th to restore his overnight cushion.

Dan Brown plays his approach into the final green knowing his job was done. PHOTO: Getty Images.

The World No. 384 looked in total command when he began the back nine with a birdie on the 10th, but three straight bogeys meant his lead was briefly down to just two shots.

However, Brown responded superbly with three birdies in the next four holes to ensure a career-changing victory.

"It's amazing," Brown said. "I could never have dreamed this up over the past however many years. I don't think it's sunk in.

"America (finishing seventh in the Barbasol Championship) was a bit of a turning point. That just gave me a lot of confidence that I know I can do it."