Wie carded a final round of 70 to finish the tournament as the only player to break par at two-under, two shots clear of Lewis, whose 66 saw her race up the leaderboard to eventually end level par for the event.

Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow signalled her potential for the future as she posted 69 to finish on one-over par to secure third place on her own in what was the 22-year-old's professional debut.

Joint overnight leader Amy Yang of South Korea began the day in the final pairing with Wie, but following a bogey at the first, Yang double-bogeyed the second and her confidence and form never recovered as she went on to sign for a 74, leaving her four shots off the winner.

Wie did not get off to the best of starts either and mirrored Yang by dropping a shot at the first, but the 24-year-old regained her composure to close out the front nine with eight straight pars before sinking an eagle putt on the 10th to move four stokes clear.

Five more pars followed before a wayward tee shot at the 16th led to a double-bogey, cutting her advantage to one.

Michelle Wie celebrates at the 18th hole after securing her first career major win
©Getty Images




Meanwhile, Lewis had rattled off a string of birdies through to the 14th hole to leave her just one behind the lead, but a bogey halted her run.

The 29-year-old dropped another shot at the 16th but closed out her round with two more birdies to equal the best round of the tournament with a 66.

The focus was now on Wie to see if she could hold her nerve and a double bogey at the 16th cut her lead to just a single stroke as Lewis kept herself warm in the clubhouse for a possible play-off.

However, any doubts about Wie's temperament were banished at the next hole as she sank a magnificent 18-foot birdie to restore her two-stroke advantage.

A steady tee shot at the last left her with two putts for par and she duly obliged to claim her maiden win in a major championship.

"Oh my God, I can't even think straight," said an ecstatic Wie, who turned professional in 2005 but had only managed three career wins on the LPGA Tour to date.

"There are moments of doubt, but I had so many people surrounding me that never lost faith in me and that's what pushed me forward.

"I kind of smiled after I made my double-bogey putt [at the 16th hole].

"I just like to make it hard on myself.

"Seventeen; I've played well there the last couple of days and that putt went nicely to the right there at the end.

"It was awesome."

A final round of 66 was not enough for Stacey Lewis to claim her third major win
©Getty Images



Lewis revealed afterwards that she thought she was in with a chance after watching Wie struggle at the 16th, but praised the way her compatriot held her nerve to see out the win.

"When she hit that second shot on 16, I went over to the range because I knew she was going to be doing good to make bogey," said Lewis, who was chasing her third major title.

"I knew I had a chance but it was just great the way she came back and won it."

Wie's previous best showing at a major was second place, which she achieved at the LPGA Championship in 2005, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April.

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