text: Brittany Lincicome beat Stacy Lewis in a play-off to claim her second ANA Inspiration crown after a dramatic end to the LPGA's opening major of the year in California. Lincicome looked set to finish in the chasing pack until she carded a brilliant eagle on the par-five 18th to record a closing 69 and move level with fellow American Lewis on nine under par. Former champion Lewis (70) could still have claimed the win herself when, playing in the final group, she had a chance to birdie the last but her effort from 10 feet sneaked past on the low side, sending the two friends into a play-off at Mission Hills Country Club. Brittany Lincicome shows off the ANA Inspiration trophy after beating Stacy Lewis in a play-off round . Brittany Lincicome (second right), leaps into Poppy's Pond with her father, Tom Lincicome (right), her fiance, Dewald Gouws and her caddie, Missy Pederson (left) after winning the California tournament . Lincicombe hugs her caddie Missy Pederson after plunging into the water . Lincicombe is congratulated by her father, Tom (right), after jumping into the water hazard . And a soaking wet Lincicombe had to wear a dressing down as she posed for the trophy . It took the pair three extra goes at the 18th before they were finally separated, with three successive pars ultimately earning Lincicome a sixth LPGA Tour triumph. It also saw the 29-year-old take a jump into Poppie's Pond for the second time having also won this tournament in 2009. On that occasion Lincicome also eagled the final hole, and she admits it was 'surreal' to repeat the feat this time. 'I mean, to make eagle on any hole is pretty incredible, and then to do it on Sunday at a major, at this major where I did it in 2009,' Lincicome, whose last tournament victory came in 2011, said on www.lpga.com. Stacy Long drops her putter after missing a winning putt on the second play-off hole in California . Lincicombe and Long embrace after the former secures victory on the third play-off hole . The victorious Lincicombe acknowledges the gallery after securing her victory . 'It's really surreal. I feel like if you would have bet me all the money in the world to see how many times you could do it, if I went back to the fairway now I probably couldn't hit that shot again. So like I said earlier, today was my day. Somebody was looking out for me today.' Lewis, whose bogey on the third sudden-death play-off hole allowed Lincicome to clinch the title, has now finished runner-up on five occasions since winning the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last June. She has also had five more top-10 finishes in that time and the 30-year-old - who won the ANA Inspiration in 2011 - admits the only thing she can do is to try to look forward. 'I guess the more times you do it, the easier it gets,' said Lewis. 'I don't know. That's all you can do. You can't sit and dwell on it. You just have to go out the next week and try to win. I'm doing a lot of really good things, so I just have to keep going forward.' This was Lincicombe's first LPGA tour victory since 2011 . Stacy Lewis loses her club after teeing off on the par four, 16th hole at Mission Hills Country Club . Lewis plays a shot on the palm tree-lined 15th hole at Mission Hills in California . Morgan Pressel made it an all-American top three after finishing off with a two-under-par 70, leaving her a shot behind the leaders. South Korean Kim Sei-young, who took a three-shot lead into the final round, had to settle for a share of fourth spot with Spaniard Carlota Ciganda (68) and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist (69) on seven under after finishing with a 75. Scotland's Catriona Matthew was the leading British player, finishing in a nine-way tie for 11th after carding a final-round 70.
target: Lincicombe beat Lewis on third play-off hole to claim first win since 2011 .
  She jumped into water hazard at Mission Hills to celebrate victory .
  Lincicombe carded an eagle on the par-five 18th to draw level with Lewis .
  She then prevailed in the play-off to claim a sixth LPGA Tour title .