Ai Miyazato secured a one-shot win at the NW Arkansas Championship on Sunday thanks to a crucial birdie on the 18th.
The Japanese star closed with a six-under-par 65 to take her total to 12 under par and edge Spaniard Azahara Munoz, who also shot a 65, and her compatriot and namesake Mika Miyazato, who closed with a 67.
Unheralded Venezuelan Veronica Felibert, who surprised everyone by leading the tournament for its first two days, had to settle for a one-over-par 72 on Sunday and a share of fourth place with South Korea's Inbee Park on 10 under par.
Ai Miyazato's five-foot birdie putt at 18 proved the decisive stroke at Pinnacle Country Club, particularly after Mika's own 15-foot birdie effort on 18 did not fall.
"I knew I needed to make lots of birdies today, but I didn't have any expectation and I didn't have any pressure in the front nine," Miyazato said. "So that's why I think I could focus my game and have four birdies on the front nine."
She made seven birdies in all at Pinnacle Country Club on Sunday, with her sole bogey coming at the 17th. Tat bogey was disappointing, but she was happy with the way she bounced right back to get the shot back at a crucial time.
"I think last year I was pretty close to winning," Miyazato said. "I think I'm one shot behind or something and I made bogey on 17, too. A few years ago, I did the same thing, too.
"But like I said to myself, you know, just one bogey so far during the round, so I think that's pretty good. Then if I made birdie (on 18), I thought I still (would) have a chance to get in a playoff."
Felibert, meanwhile, would have been forgiven for experiencing nerves as she chased her maiden LPGA Tour win - she had, after all, never been anywhere close to winning a tournament of this stature - but said her score was merely due to her not playing well, and not final-round jitters.
"I didn't play the way I wanted," Felibert said. "I didn't feel nervous at all, I was surprised. I thought I was going to be more nervous. But my swing wasn't there, and I didn't try to like fight it. I just played with what I got and it wasn't enough."
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