Jiyai Shin - © Tristan Jones / LET

The 29-year-old South Korean, who was known as the 'queen of the final' when she held world number one from 2010 to 2011, started with laps of 65 and 68, followed by a lap of eight under the through 64 at the most important time, highlighted by an eagle in the 15th, seven birdies and a bogey, to finish on a total of three laps to 19 under par.

She had already won the Women's Australian Open 2013 at the Royal Canberra and said: “I am so moved that I cannot tell you. The Royal Canberra is my favorite golf course in the world.

“I have good memories of this final with Lydia Ko and now this time with Minjee Lee: two big ladies. I also learned from them. The Royal Canberra is very fun to play. People came to watch and the last few days we had great weather so I really enjoyed it. "

In her awards speech, Shin delighted the gallery by telling them that she was hitting the ball harder than ever because of the protein found in local Australian pies.

West Australian Lee, who won the Oates Vic Open last week, was heavily favored to win after scoring nine under the par in the second round, but finished with a 73 card. , a disappointing score. Despite birdieing the teeing hole, her leadership faltered when she bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes.

Although Lee birdied the seventh, she then missed her shots in the eighth and ninth to give Shin the advantage. She made another buggy on the 10th with a birdie on the 12th, but Shin took a five-stroke lead when she made a nervous jump and then made an eagle on the 15th.

Lee's messy bogey at the 18th par-5 saw Shin go ahead with a chip and putt from the front of the green for birdie.

Lee said: "Jiyai played well and I guess you can't win everything. I was never going to win with those last two holes. After Jiyai's eagle, I think it was pretty nice, so I played my game. ”

After three successive rounds of 68, the Dutchman Anne Van Dam came in third with a card of 12 under the par, which allowed her to secure her place next week at the Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide, as the leader. on the Money List following the Oates Vic Open and the ActewAGL Canberra Classic. Other qualifying players were Olivia Cowan and Jenny Haglund, as well as Amy Boulden, Marianne Skarpnord, Cathryn Bristow, Leticia Ras Anderica and Christine Wolf via the ALPG.

Van Dam started the final at Canberra with two eagles in his first six holes, on the first and sixth, respectively.

“I worked really hard on my putt out of season. I changed putter in Dubai and stayed with him. I changed a few points and I am happy that in just a few weeks it is starting to pay off. "

Pernilla Lindberg stayed close to the leaders all day but bogeyed the last two holes to finish in fourth, with Holly Clyburn in fifth and Beth Allen in sixth. Aditi Ashok and Kylie Henry finished in seventh place, followed by Leticia Ras-Anderica, Georgia Hall and Caroline Hedwall for ninth place.

It was Shin's third victory in Australia, following her most recent appearance at the 2016 RACV Ladies Masters and she will be looking for a fourth title in Adelaide next week.