Inbee Park pips Brittany Lincicome in LPGA Championship play-off

Inbee is projected to rise to second in the world rankings after her victory

South Korea's Inbee Park beat Brittany Lincicome in a play-off in New York to retain her LPGA Championship title and win the fifth major of her career.

Overnight leader Lincicome needed a par at the last to win the tournament but a three-putt bogey saw the American finish level with Park on 11 under.

Park, who hit a two-under 70 in round four, parred the first play-off hole to win a fourth major in two years.

"It's lucky that I actually got an opportunity," Park, 26, said.

"I'm very happy to defend my title and have a second win of the year.

"I thought I probably won't get an opportunity with Brittany coming up the last and if she made a par I would not have gone into a play-off."

Despite being three shots back with seven to play at Monroe Golf Club, Park reeled in Lincicome over the final few holes to force a play-off.

Park birdied the 17th and then rolled in a 12-foot par-putt on the last to put the pressure on Lincicome, who needed to par the 18th to win her second major.

Brittany Lincicome missed a putt on the 18th that would have earned her a second major win

Lincicome, 28, found the fringe with her approach, left her first putt eight-feet short and watched her par attempt slide past the hole.

In the play-off, Lincicome missed a six-foot par-putt on the par-four 18th after again finding the fringe with her approach, while Park, who also missed the green with her second shot, chipped to three feet and sank the put to win.

"Not being in this position for a while, I think it all caught up with me," said Lincicome, who won the Kraft Nabisco in 2009. "Being second at a major is always a good thing. It was nice to be in contention again."

Park, who won three majors in 2013, is projected to move up from third to second in the world, passing 17-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand. Ko, trying to become the youngest major winner in LPGA history, shot a two-under 70 to finish third at eight under.

America's world number one Stacy Lewis hit a four-under 68 to finish on five under, alongside Sweden's Suzann Pettersen who started the final round one shot off the lead but closed with a 76.