Huixquilucan, Mexico (AHN) - The rain delayed MasterCard Classic finally came to a completion on Monday and it could not have ended any better for Meaghan Francella. The 24-year-old ,who has played in only five other LPGA tournaments in her short career, beat Annika Sorenstam in a playoff to earn her first victory and a nice $180,000 paycheck.

Francella needed four extra holes to beat Sorenstam. She won with a 4-footer for birdie after her opponent missed a 7-footer only seconds before.

"I wasn't expecting Annika to miss that putt," AP quoted the winner as saying. "I just stayed in my moment and made that putt."

Francella, who shot a final round of 69, needed a late birdie to force the playoff with the hot Sorenstam. A birdie on the 16th hole tied her with who she called "the best player in the world."

Sorenstam's final round of 66 was impressive because the Mastercard Classic was the first tournament she has played this year. Her round on Monday featured seven birdies and only one bogey.

Three other golfers tied for third at 8-under, three strokes back of the leaders. Two of them, Kyeong Bae and Angela Stanford, shot final round 67s to move up the leaderboard.

Stacy Prammanasudh was the other golfer at 8-under and, despite being only one stroke down at the beginning of play on Monday, she was never a factor. She finished with a round of 71.

Mexican star Lorena Ochoa was among a bunch of golfers tied at 6-under.

Despite a local doing well in the tournament, all anyone could talk about was Francella. Even she could hardly hold in her excitement after she won. In fact, she could hardly put the emotional victory into words.

"I can't describe it," she said. "It's just something I've worked for my entire life."