Yin produced a brilliant performance a tense last day in Springfield in New Jersey as she scored four birdies and no bogeys to edge out Japan’s Yuka Saso on the 6,621 yard course.

Competing in the penultimate group, Yin made her first birdie on the par-five seventh hole.

The 20-year-old from Shanghai then added further birdies on the 13th and 14th before notching a decisive birdie on the 18th to finish eight under for the week.

She is only the second Chinese player to claim a women's major after Shanshan Feng, the winner of this event in 2012.

Yin's victory earned her a winner's cheque of $1.5 million (£1.2 million/€1.4 million).

"When I was on the 18th tee and I saw the leaderboard, I knew I had one-shot lead, but after the tee shot, I saw Yuka make an incredible birdie [on 18], so I knew I had to make birdie at this hole to win the Championship," said Yin.

"I’m glad I did it.

"When I was walking to [the winner’s press conference], I just said, 'Oh, wow, major winner.

"It's amazing.

"It's just unreal."

Saso was seeking her second major crown having captured the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open.

She landed a birdie on the final hole thanks to a brilliant up-and-down from a greenside bunker to complete a five-under 66 but it was not enough to come out on top.

"I'm happy, but I feel like I still need to work on many stuff, so I'm not really fully satisfied," said Saso.

A group of golfers finished at six under and tied for third, including Lin Xiyu of China.

Lin was tied for the lead at seven under only to hit her tee shot on the 72nd hole of the Championship into the water.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, American Megan Khang and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow also finished on six under along with Lin.

Leona Maguire, the leader after second and third rounds, shot 74, ending a run of eight straight rounds in the 60s to finish 12th.