But once again the leader at the start of the day – in this case, Kim Hyo-joo – dropped away to enable a compatriot to move into the lead and on this day it was Ko Jin-young, world number two, who added a second major to the ANA Inspiration title she won in April.

Having started the day three shots off the lead, the 24-year-old Kim, who was Ladies Professional Golf Association rookie of the year in 2018, produced a round of 67 which saw her to the title on 15 under par, two shots clear.

The destination of the title was effectively decided on the 14th when Kim, who had maintained her lead to that point, double-bogeyed after her ball had plugged against the rim of a bunker, leaving Ko in a lead she never relinquished.

Kim eventually finished joint second with two others, a final round of 73 leaving her on a 13 under.

The performance is projected to move her up to world number one when the next Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings are announced.

She was joined on that total by American Jennifer Kupcho, who finished with the best final round, 66, and China’s major winner Shanshan Feng, who finished with a 68.

South Korea’s world number one, Park Sung-hyun, who had begun the day one shot off the lead, could only manage a concluding 75 and finished joint sixth with a 10-under 274.

Lee Mi-Hyang, who had led after two rounds, hit a final round of 69 to finish joint 13th on six under.

The final round had been delayed by two hours because of the bad weather that has been a feature of this edition of the Championship held at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, in the French Alps.

The Championship purse, increased this year to $4.1million (£3.3million/€3.7million), is the second-richest in women’s golf after the US Open, which offered $5million (£4million/€4.5million) in 2017.