Morgan presses on for record win

American teenager Morgan Pressel became the youngest winner of a women’s major when she shot a final round 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

Scot Catriona Matthew (71) had a chance to tie, but she three-putted the last form 30-feet for a bogey and had to settle for a share of second at a shot behind on two under with American Brittany Lincicome (72) and Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (74).

Pressel, who will be 19 next month, beat the record of previous youngest winner - Canada’s Sandra Post – when she birdied the 18th from 12 feet.

That saw her sign for a three-under-par 285 and was a deserved winner of the after a bogey-free last round.

Four behind at the start, the Florida teenager birdied the second, 12th and the long 18th to go one better than her tie for second as an amateur in the US Women’s Open two years ago.

“This is just a dream come true,” she said. “This is my first professional victory and to make it in a major is incredible.”

Matthew was disappointed with her finish, but it was an amazing performance by a golfer who became a mum to daughter Katie in December.

She cam back from seven months’ maternity leave to tie for fifth in last week’s Safeway International in Arizona and this was her ninth to-10 finish in a major and her fourth in this championship.

It was also the closest she has been to becoming the first Scot to win a major - her previous best was a tie for third at the 2001 Women’s’ British Open at Sunningdale.

“It was shame about the finish, but I’ve done much better than I expected on my comeback,” admitted the 37-year-old from North Berwick.

“At the moment, I do feel disappointed but I’m sure I’ll look back in a few days and realise how well I have played.”

Pettersen was bitterly disappointed. She was three shots ahead with six holes to play, but dropped shots at the 15th and 17th and took a double-bogey at the 16th, while Matthew three-putted for a bogey at the last.

England’s Laura Davies, who finished second in 1994, closed with a 73 and was tied for 10th on five-over 293.