A regular visitor to Australia, she won the inaugural ALPG Ballarat Golf Club Pro-am on Sunday on the second hole of a play-off with Lydia Hall from Wales.

Each finished with a three-under 69 – one shot clear of Leticia Ras-Anderica (Germany) and Marianne Skarpnord (Norway).

Hall had a golden opportunity to clinch the title on the first play-off hole, but missed a putt from within a metre – a similar length from which Lin secured the win.

The 21-year-old Lin said she was delighted to start the year on a winning note, given it was the first time in tournament play she had put into practice aspects of her game she had been working on.

Lin has been on the professional circuit since she was 15 and divides her time between China and the United States, where has a base in Orlando.

She has had five wins on the China LPGA Tour, where she began her career, two wins in an event joint sanctioned by Ladies European Tour, Ladies Asian Golf Tour and China LPGA Tour, and now also plays regularly in the LPGA Tour in the US and European Tour.

Ras-Anderica led at the halfway mark after shooting 70 in the morning.

She was one shot ahead of now Queensland-based Ballarat player Georgia Clarke.

England's Laura Davies had a one-over 73.

The ALPG Tour now gets into full stride with the Victoria Open later this week.