Germany’s Sophia Popov said “she was over the moon” after she made history on Sunday by winning the first AIG Women’s Open to be staged at Royal Troon.

The world number 304 carded a final round three-under-par 68 to take her to seven-under overall as she claimed a two-shot victory

over Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura.

The victory for Popov is all the more remarkable given just three weeks earlier she was a caddie for her close friend Anne van Dam at the LPGA Drive On Championship and the 27-year-old only qualified for the Women’s Open two weeks ago.

Speaking after her victory she said: “I am over the moon... It feels amazing. There’s a lot of hard work behind it, and a lot of struggles that I went through the last six years, especially health-wise (Lyme disease). I’m glad I stuck with it.

“I knew my game was in really good shape. I know anything is possible and I think I took that belief with me to every round, but I never expected this. Obviously, I was nervous the whole round and I’m just so glad I could get it done.

“I guess it is an incredible story and I think, just personally for me, that’s why I broke down on the 18th hole because it’s been something I could not have dreamed of just a week ago.”

Popov’s maiden major win at the iconic Ayrshire course is not the first time she has had success in Troon after she triumphed in a development tour event in May at Troon North Golf Club in Arizona.

That victory saw the 27-year-old receive $2,300 while her reward for winning the Women’s Open at Royal Troon is a paycheque of $675,000.

After her final round, the German was full of praise for Royal Troon.

She said: “The last two holes, I could take it in a little bit and I looked around and it’s just so beautiful and it’s such an amazing course. Thank you to AIG, to the R&A, and to everyone that has played a role this week in making this championship the championship it is. We were taken care of so well all week.”

Elsewhere, Catriona Matthew was the highest placed Scot on the leaderboard finishing on 13-over.