RIO MAIOR, PORTUGAL (14th June 2009) – Sweden’s Johanna Westerberg defeated Spaniard Tania Elosegui in a play-off to claim her maiden Ladies European Tour victory at the Portugal Ladies Open on Sunday, just hours before her compatriot, LET Rookie Anna Nordqvist, claimed her first title at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola, which is a Major championship, in the United States.

Westerberg holed a stunning bunker shot for birdie on the first sudden-death play-off hole, after finding the sand with both her first and second shots.

It was only the fifth birdie all day on the tough par-four 18th at Golden Eagle Residence and Golf and Westerberg admitted it was the shot of her life.

“To hole that to win: I couldn’t ask for more,” she said.

The 31-year-old Swede shot a five-under 67 to come from five shots back in equal 18th place entering the final round.

After signing for her score, she watched Elosegui birdie the 18th for a round of 70, which tied her 54-hole total of three-under-par 213.

Elosegui was forced to settle for second after recording her maiden victory at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in the Netherlands a week previously.

“That’s one way to win!” said Elosegui, almost in disbelief. With her second place, she jumped from fifth to second place on the European Solheim Cup standings.

Westerberg became the fourth straight first-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, following Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord in Switzerland, Frenchwoman Jade Schaeffer in Germany and Elosegui in the Netherlands.

“It means a lot. It’s a fantastic feeling,” said the seventh season LET professional, who had twice been a runner-up, at the 2007 Finnair Masters and 2008 American Express Turkish Ladies Open.

“I left quite a few birdies out there but I played fantastically well on the back nine and I am so pleased to actually win,” she said.

Westerberg in the bunker by the 18th green (Pim-Pim on the left)

Westerberg earned a first prize of €30,000 as well as 30 Solheim Cup points and a place in the Evian Masters.

She thanked her caddie, who is also her fiancé, Swedish tennis star Joachim Johansson, otherwise known as “Pim-Pim”.

“He has been helping me with lines and stuff so it’s been a big comfort to have him with me,” she said.

“Pim-Pim” plays off a handicap of three, but has been making several appearances as a caddie on the LET in recent months due to a shoulder injury.

The pair are perhaps the fittest couple in golf and Westerberg explained: “He’s a great comfort on the course and as he’s a top athlete himself he knows what it’s all about. He’s been there and done that.” She added that he was a great help in pressurised situations.

Becky Brewerton from Wales (69) and Bettina Hauert from Germany (67) finished equal third on two-under-par.

Six players, including three LET rookies, shared fifth place on one-under. They were Jade Schaeffer, Denmark’s Iben Tinning, last year's event winner Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Caudal as well as first year players England’s Florentyna Parker, Scotland’s Pamela Feggans and Christel Boeljon from the Netherlands.

In America, Nordqvist became the second rookie in as many years to win the McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola in her first appearance.

Her final 15-under-par 273 (66-70-69-68) outdistanced runner-up Lindsey Wright, of Australia, at 11-under-par 277 (70-68-69-70).

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