Jodi Ewart Shadoff overcomes nerves and self-doubt to win on LPGA Tour at 246th time of asking

The 34-year-old from Catterick held off the challenge of former Women’s Open champion Georgia Hall among others to clinch victory in the Mediheal Championship in Somis, California.

Raised in North Yorkshire, Shadoff has forged her career in the United States after moving out there as a teenager when she attended New Mexico University on a golf scholarship.

She qualified for the LPGA Tour in 2011 and has established herself as a strong competitor over the last decade, earning three Solheim Cup caps, a runner-up finish at the Women’s Open, as well as representing Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics.

But she had never won, and admitted after closing out a wire-to-wire victory at The Saticoy Club she feared she might never do so.

"Surreal. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. I've waited a long time for this,” said Shadoff.

"It's been many times in my career that I didn't think this was ever going to happen, so just really grateful in this moment.

“I've been through a lot in the past couple of years, specifically injuries as most people know.

"So last year was really tough. I found that a pretty significant mental challenge to get through.

"There were times during the last year where I didn't think that I was going to be playing this year, so to be stood here today, it's just really awesome I didn't give up on myself.

"I just have a lot of people to be grateful for. Everybody on my team who has stood by me and made me believe in myself when I really didn't, I’m just really grateful to them all.”

Shadoff led by four shots going into the final round only to fritter that away before composing herself on the back nine to win by one stroke from Japan’s Yuka Saso and two from Hall.

“The first few holes were just trying to regulate my emotions and nerves,” continued Shadoff, who missed just two fairways all week.

"That four-shot lead quickly diminished, so I just tried to stay patient and in the moment.”

Asked what she had learned about herself, Shadoff said: “That I can fight through adversity. I can play under the nerves, which has kind of been a problem for me in the past, just trying to settle the nerves down and play through it.

“I think I proved to myself that I can do it. I proved I can win. It's been a long time, and I didn't think I would ever be sat here.”