Bailey Tardy claimed her first LPGA title as she beat fellow American Sarah Schmelzel by four shots at Blue Bay in China.

Tardy, 27, carded five birdies in the final eight holes to close with a seven-under-par 65 in Hainan Bay.

The LPGA’s 2023 Rookie of the Year let a lead slip away in last year’s Women’s US Open.

“A lot of doubt was in my head that I could be at this level and win. This is special,” she said.

Schmelzel led Tardy by three shots after making birdies on the opening three holes, but three bogeys before the turn saw her fall back and she could not match her playing partner’s scoring on the back nine.

An eagle on the par-five eighth kick-started Tardy’s final round. A birdie followed on the ninth and she recovered from a dropped shot on the 10th with birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 17th holes to pull away from the field.

Japan’s Ayaka Furue closed with a 65 to finish third on 14 under, while Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow was eighth, finishing on 11 under after a closing 69.