Midori Yoneyama birdied the final regulation hole and then beat Junko Omote with another birdie in a playoff Sunday to win the Kosaido Ladies for her second victory on the Japan LPGA tour this season.
Yoneyama birdied the 54th hole of the tournament to move into a tie with Omote on 9-under-par 207 at Chiba Kosaido Country Club, and made an easy two-putt birdie on the extra hole -- also on the par-5 18th -- to seal her sixth career victory.
Overnight leader Yoneyama bogeyed the par-3 seventh hole to allow Omote to take the lead with a two-shot swing and remained adrift until she sank an 8-footer for birdie on the final hole.
In the playoff, Yoneyama reached the green in two while Omote hit her drive into the trees and needed four shots to get onto the putting surface, settling for the 10th runnerup finish of her nine-year career without a win.
"I just focused on making a solid stroke to make the putt," Yoneyama said of the key birdie on the final hole.
"I entered the tournament just trying to complete all three rounds and I never imagined that I'd win it," said the 29-year-old, who withdrew from two of three events after winning the Katokichi Queens a month ago due to health problems.