Watch out Lydia Ko - there's an even younger player closing on the world No.1 ranking after Canadian Brooke Henderson claimed her first major title at the Women's PGA Championship.
Showing nerves of steel, 18-year-old Henderson downed 19-year-old world No.1 Ko in a sudden death playoff, producing a brilliant approach shot to within three feet at the first extra hole before knocking in the putt.
New Zealander Ko was chasing a third straight major championship title but succumbed after pushing her 25-foot birdie putt wide.
At 18 years and nine months, world No.4 Henderson became the second-youngest woman to win a major - bettered only by Ko who was five months younger when she triumphed at last year's Evian Championship.
She also became just the second Canadian to win a women's major, after Sandra Post who won the same event in 1968.
Henderson, who is now projected to rise to No.2 in the world rankings, earned her victory in style, closing with a 65 on the Sahalee Country Club course to set the clubhouse lead at six-under 278.
"It was a pretty good day for me," Henderson said of her second LPGA Tour win.
"I really didn't feel a ton of pressure or a ton of nerves, which I think is the key to shooting six-under in the final round and then being able to play a playoff."
Ko missed a 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation play and could only match Henderson with her 67, one stroke ahead of Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn (66), who was going for a fourth straight LPGA Tour victory.
Wielding a hot putter, Henderson rolled in a 90-foot eagle from off the green at the par-five 11th as she came home in 31.
"I had seven yards of fringe to go over and then a big mound so I really focused on the pace to make sure I had a close birdie putt and it ended up falling in and that was really the momentum changer," Henderson said.
Ko was left to rue what might have been as she aimed to become the youngest player to achieve hat-trick of major victories.
She did not make a bogey all day, and her only big mistake came at the 17th where she missed a three-foot birdie putt that opened the door to Henderson.
"I'm happy with the way I played. I just got outplayed," Ko said.
"For Brooke to shoot 65 on the final day at a major, at a course like this is very impressive."
Australia's Su Oh finished in a tie for eighth at even par after a final round one-under 70, while compatriot Minjee Lee was two shots back in a tie for 12th after an even-par closing round.
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