( CNN ) -- Taiwanese golfer Yani Tseng became the youngest woman to win three major trophies after claiming a tense one-shot victory at the British Open in England on Sunday . The 21-year-old broke down in tears as she overcame a jittery approach to the final green at Royal Birkdale to make history as the first player from her island to win the event . Her ambitious long drive into the first fairway bunker at the par-five 18th gave Katherine Hull -- Tseng 's fellow first-round leader -- the chance to take the tournament to a playoff . But the Australian -- who matched Tseng with an eagle at 18 on Thursday -- was well short of the pin with her chip from off the back of the green , and then her birdie putt slid just past the hole . Tseng clinched her second major title this season with a solid six-foot putt for par , which Hull could only match , for a winning total of 11-under-par of 277 . `` I was so tired , there was so much pressure out there and it 's been an unbelievable day . Even when I holed the putt at the last I had to ask my caddie 'Did I win ? , '' a relieved Tseng told reporters . `` The last four holes were very hard and Katherine pushed me all the way . She 's an awesome player . '' The 2010 Kraft Nabisco championship winner closed with a one-over 73 after faltering with three bogeys and two birdies , while Hull cut her four-shot overnight lead with a four-birdie 70 . Neither player could beat par in the last five holes , with Tseng 's last birdie of the day coming on the par-five sixth . `` I 'm disappointed but there are also a lot of positives to take from this week , '' the 28-year-old Hull said after only her second top-10 finish in 24 majors . `` I never gave up but it 's just a pity I could n't make a birdie at one of the three long holes at the end . '' Na Yeon Choi eagled 18 to finish in a tie for third with In-Kyung Kim on 281 , carding 68 to her fellow South Korean 's 71 -- which ended with a birdie . American veteran Cristie Kerr finished equal fifth after South Korean duo Amy Yang and Hee-Kyung Seo closed with birdies to join her on 282 .
Yani Tseng survives a tense final round to win Women 's British Open by one shot . Taiwanese golfer 's four-stroke lead was eroded by Katherine Hull with five holes to play . Neither player broke par after that as Tseng recovers following bunkered tee shot at 18 . The 21-year-old became the youngest woman to win three major trophies .