Park In-bee of South Korea, the youngest winner in history, poses with the trophy after winning the 2008 U.S. Women's Open Championship at the Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., Sunday. / AFP-Yonhap A 19-year-old South Korean golfer won the U.S. Women's Open with a 2-under 71 Sunday, becoming the youngest player to win one of the biggest titles in women's golf.

Park In-bee, who showed nearly flawless golf for the final 10 holes, is now the third South Korean to win the prestigious title, joining Pak Se-ri and Birdie Kim.

Two weeks shy of her 20th birthday, Park replaced Pak as the youngest Women's Open champion. She pulled away with crucial putts on three straight holes ― two birdies and one par _ early on the back nine and added a final birdie for a 2-under 71 and a four-shot victory over Helen Alfredsson.

Park was the only player in the final nine groups to break par. She finished at 9-under 283 and earned $585,000.

Kim Kyung-mi of South Korea and American Stacy Lewis tied for third at 4-under while three-time U.S. Women's Open champion Annika Sorenstam tied for 24th place and women's world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa tied for 31st.

Park celebrated after her final tap-in birdie when her fellow South Koreans showered her with beer at the Interlachen golf course outside Minneapolis, Minn.

Park finished 37th on last year's money list and was a five-time junior All-American. She prevailed in the U.S. girls' junior championship six years ago and entered the LPGA tour only last year.

Park said in an interview that she had been inspired by her compatriot Pak's triumph 10 years ago.

``Really, I can't believe I just did this, especially with all these big names on the trophy that have been very, very successful with the golf,'' Park was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. ``Hopefully, I'll put a couple of my names on there. It will be great.''

Park was the only player to break par all four days at Interlachen, a course that showed its strength in the final round with 20 mph (32 kph) wind that made it tough to keep on the right side of the hole. The lowest score Sunday belonged to 15-year-old Jessica Korda, the daughter of '98 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, who caddied for her. She shot a 69 and tied for 19th.

Park became the third player in the last six years to make the U.S. Women's Open her first LPGA Tour victory.