Defending champion Karrie Webb has had to settle for third place as American Angela Stafford surged home to win the Senior LPGA Championship.

Making her debut in the event, the 45-year-old Stafford shot a closing seven-under 65 to reach 10 under and win by a shot from England's Trish Johnson (71) who suffered a horror late collapse at Sultans Run GC in Jasper, Indiana on Saturday.

Australia's seven-time major champion Webb was bidding to become the first player to win the title back to back and started the day in second place behind Johnson.

But her closing 69 left her outright third, a shot behind two-time champion Johnson, who seemed headed for victory before a triple bogey on the 17th followed by a bogey at 18.

"Not much more you can say really, just a horrendous finish," Johnson said. "It was obviously very, very disappointing. Literally throwing the tournament away, but life goes on. There are worse things."

Stanford, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is off to California to play the US Women's Open next week at Pebble Beach.

"I'm leaving with more confidence than I had before I came here, that's for sure," Stanford said.

"I think I just figured some things out and I got my mind right this week. I have had some confidence issues lately and this week was figuring out how to get back to basics."

with The AP