Sherri Steinhauer shot a final round 72 to win the British women's Open for the third time on Sunday at Royal Lytham & St Anne's.

The American finished on seven-under 281, three shots ahead of American Cristie Kerr and Sweden's Sophie Gustafson.

American Juli Inkster and Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, who both shot 73, tied for fourth on three under par.

Steinhauer, who won at Lytham in 1998 and Woburn in 1999, joins Australia's Karrie Webb as the only three-time winner. This is the first time she has won the title since it became a major in 2001.

At 43, Steinhauer is the oldest champion, and the first to win using a long putter.

Steinhauer, after a flawless 66 on Saturday, set out three shots ahead of the field and never lost the lead. She birdied the fourth with an eight-foot putt and her only bogey came at the 18th when she hit her approach into a greenside bunker - it was her first dropped shot in a run of 49 holes.