A day before she rolled in a three metre birdie putt to collect her fourth Women's Australian Open, Karrie Webb predicted she would win - and why.

"There are players up there who haven't won an Australian Open," Webb said after her third round.

"I have. I have experience at winning golf tournaments."

She now has even more.

Webb, 33, the world's third-ranked woman golfer and Australia's best ever player - man or woman - beat Korea's No.1 Ji-Yai Shin at the second hole of a sudden death playoff after carding rounds of 72, 72, 73 and 67 for an eight-under-par total.

The victory came after Webb herself appeared to be dead as she played the 15th.

Having taken an iron off the tee for safety at the 269m hole, Webb committed the cardinal sin off depositing the ball in a bunker 100m from the green.

But she produced what was her shot of the tournament, putting the bunker shot five metres from the pin.

After holing her par putt, she discovered Shin had given her the slip and was two shots clear playing the 18th.

"I had to put myself into another gear," Webb said.

It proved to be one of her better ones.

Webb let fly with a perfect drive at the 16th, played a reasonable approach shot and then holed an eight metre putt to narrow the gap to one shot.

At the 170m par three 17th she put her tee shot three metres from the hole and again rolled in the putt.

With Shin now safely in the clubhouse also on 284, Webb had only to par the last to force a playoff.

She did so with coolness and precision - and then did the same thing again before finally nailing a swinging birdie putt at the second playoff hole that followed an uncannily similar line to the two she had just missed.

Webb said she had been surprised Shin was so far in front as she climbed out of the fairway bunker at 15.

But she then turned on her most valuable asset.

"The thing I was happiest with was my composure all through the tournament," she said.

"I could have taken a nine iron when I was in that bunker but I knew if I caught the lip I would have been three behind and probably couldn't win.

"I played a wedge instead and it turned out just right.

"To be able to think clearly enough at that time was very pleasing."

During her three trips down the 18th, Webb displayed similar composure, driving the ball to almost identical positions each time.

The three immaculate drives preceded three immaculate second shots which in turn were followed by two good putts and one that was perfect.

The Open win came almost 12 months to the day after Webb won the same tournament last year.

But it left her more hopeful than she was a year ago when she followed her national championship win with victory in the Australian Masters a week later.

Webb failed to win another tournament for the year, but still played well enough to be ranked third in the world.

Shin, the 19-year-old world No.7, was the revelation of the championship.

A player who had claimed her own national championship at the age of 17 while still at school, Shin finished fifth in last year's Open at her first Australian start.

She will renew her battle with Webb at next week's Australian Masters at Royal Pines on the Queensland Gold Coast.

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