CARNOUSTIE, July 31, 2011 (AFP) - Taiwan's Yani Tseng confirmed she is the best player in the world by staging a successful defence of the Women's British Open at Carnoustie on Sunday with a four-shot triumph.
The 22-year-old collected her fifth major -- the youngest player to achieve the feat -- with a final round 69 and a 16 under par 272 total.
She won by a comfortable four shots from American Brittany Lang, who closed with a 67.
Sweden's Sophie Gstafson, the 2000 champion, claimed third place on 11 under after a 68 and South Korea's Amy Yang was fourth on 11 under with a closing 67.
It was Tseng's second major of the season - she won the LPGA Championship by 10 shots last month - and extended her lead at the head of the world rankings.
Tseng started the final round two shots behind Caroline Masson, but with the young German succumbing to the pressure, she took the lead by the time she had made her second birdie of the day at the long sixth.
She was four ahead at the turn and only made a slight stumble with bogeys at the 12th, where she hit her approach through the green, and at the short 13th, when she was unlucky to hit the pin with her tee shot and ricocheted into a horrible lie on the egde of a bunker.
But with no one else mounting a serious threat, the powerful Tseng regained control with birdies at the long 14th and 17th and a five foot putt for birdie at the 18th was the icing on the cake that earned the £239,000 first prize.
"I feel so good," said a smiling Tseng. "This is a great place to win my second British Open because there is so much history attached to the course.
"I started out feeling a little nervous, but it was much easier than last year. I knew I could trust myself. I think the key was the ten foot putt I made to save par at the 15th. I had been struggling a bit with my putter but that made me feel comfortable."
Tseng is three years younger than when Patty Berg won her fifth major in 1943 and she is now halfway to matching former world No.1 Annika Sorenstam's total of ten.
The Swede captured her tenth when she was 35.
Sherri Steinhauer was the last player to retain the British Open title, which became a major in 2001.
The American won back-to-back at Woburn in 1998 and 1999 before claiming her third title at Lytham and St Annes in 2006. The only other player to win the title two years in a row was American Debbie Massey in 1980 and 1981.
Masson had a horror day, especially with the putter. The 22-year-old, who had led by one at halfway and two after 54-holes, was out in 39 and dropped more shots at the tenth and 11th and then double-bogeyed the 12th
But the second year professional did manage a brave finish. She birdied the final two holes to rescue a 78 and finished in a tie for fifth place with the 2009 champion, Scotland's Catriona Matthew (72). Matthew hit her second shot out of bounds at the 18th.
Lang had a great six birdie round.
"I knew I was a little far out of it starting eight shots behind, but I just kept trying to make birdies," said the Solheim Cup player who has yet to win on the LPGA Tour.
"Yani is unbelievable. Five majors at the age of 22. She's so mentally strong and so confident and aggressive."
Leading final round scores in the Women's British Open at Carnoustie Golf Club, Scotland on Sunday (par 72):
272 - Yani Tseng (TPE) 71 66 66 69
276 - Brittany Lang (USA) 70 70 69 67
277 - Sophie Gustafson (SWE) 68 71 70 68
278 - Amy Yang (KOR) 68 70 73 67
279 - Catriona Matthew (GBR) 70 69 68 72, Caroline Masson (GER) 68 65 68 78
280 - Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 70 71 69 70, Yoo Sun Young (KOR) 71 70 69 70, Choi Na Yeon (KOR) 69 67 72 72, Park Inbee (KOR) 70 64 73 73
281 - Stacy Lewis (USA) 74 68 71 68, Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED) 70 66 74 71
282 - Maria Hjorth (SWE) 72 69 73 68
283 - Katie Futcher (USA) 71 74 74 64, Cristie Kerr (USA) 72 69 74 68, Candy Kung (TAI) 72 73 69 69, Kim Song-Hee (KOR) 69 72 71 71, Ahn Sun-Ju (KOR) 71 71 70 71, Mika Miyazato (JAP) 69 69 72 73, Pak Se Ri (KOR) 72 64 73 74
284 - Shin Jiyai (KOR) 75 66 72 71
285 - Karen Stupples (GBR) 74 68 72 71, Seo Hee-Kyung (KOR) 72 71 71 71, Karrie Webb (AUS) 70 71 72 72, Rachel Jennings (GBR) 71 73 69 72, Momoko Ueda (JAP) 69 71 72 73, Angela Stanford (USA) 68 72 72 73
286 - Michelle Wie (USA) 74 68 72 72, Vicky Hurst (USA) 70 71 71 74