Evian-les-Bains, France (My Sportsbook) - Ai Miyazato earned her long-awaited first LPGA Tour victory on Sunday by beating Sophie Gustafson in a playoff at the Evian Masters.

Miyazato drained a birdie putt on the first extra hole to top Gustafson and win for the first time in four full seasons on tour.

A star in her native Japan, the 24-year-old Miyazato closed with a three-under 69 on the Evian course to finish at 14-under-par 274. Gustafson tied her with a 70, nearly holing an eagle putt on the 18th green in regulation.

Back on the par-five closing hole for the playoff, Miyazato knocked in a short birdie putt after Gustafson was unable to make hers from around 10 feet.

"I was dreaming about this when I was young, so my dream has come true," Miyazato said.

Cristie Kerr (70) and Meena Lee (65) shared third place at 13-under 275, one stroke out of the playoff, while Paula Creamer (70), Helen Alfredsson (70) and Karrie Webb (71) tied for fifth at 11-under 277.

Miyazato claimed her first win at one of the biggest events on tour, earning $487,500 for the victory -- her first six-figure check since the 2007 HSBC Women's World Match Play, where she was runner-up.

"I went through a lot of tough times, especially the last couple years," said Miyazato. "But Nick, my caddie, stood by me the whole time. We grew together as a team, and I'm really happy that we kept it going."

Miyazato calmed her nerves with a birdie at No. 2, giving her the confidence to deal with the pressure she placed on herself as she tried to play steady golf.

She kept hitting fairways and, after making a bogey at No. 6, she posted back- to-back birdies to finish the front nine. She made another birdie at the 11th, her third in four holes.

"I kept hitting the fairways," she said.

Miyazato stumbled to a second bogey on the par-five 15th, but recovered the stroke with a closing birdie at the 18th, taking the clubhouse lead.

When she beat Gustafson with another birdie at the 18th, Miyazato became the second woman from Japan to win the Evian Masters after Hiromi Kobayashi, who won in 1997.

Kobayashi's victory also came on the first playoff hole.

"Every time I walked up the stairs to the locker room -- even more so than the last few years -- I [tended] to see her scorecard a lot this year. Caught my eyes," said Miyazato. "When I saw it I [wanted] to achieve what she achieved. I respect her a lot, and I feel very proud as another Japanese player to have done the same."