Catriona Matthew claimed the Scottish honours after she shot a last round 75 and tied for 45th place at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. The 39-year-old will now be taking four months’ maternity leave.

At almost seven months pregnant, Matthew showed her gritty determination by posting a five over par total, and she just edged out Glasgow’s Janice Moodie, who will now be left to carry the tartan banner on the US-based LPGA Tour over the next few months. 

“Mhairi McKay and Catriona are both pregnant so it will be strange being the only Scot around for a while,” said Moodie after a final day 73 saw her finish inside the top 50 on six over par. “My wee boy (Craig) is two, but I’m not ready to have another baby just yet.

“Craig travels with me on Tour most of the time with his nanny, Nicola, and it actually gets easier the older he gets. I played until I was eight months’ pregnant and was hitting balls again the week after I had him. If you keep fit, it doesn’t take long to come back.”

A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, 34-year-old Moodie’s main goal this season is to get back into the European Solheim Cup team for the match against the USA in Illinois in August. She was a member of the 2000 and 2003 winning teams, but has missed the last two contests.

Matthew also has an eye on the Solheim. She intends to make her comeback at the Evian Masters in France in July, and she said: “I’ll need to be one of the Captain’s wild card choices. But the fact that the Solheim is in America could count in my favour.”

Matthew has played in three Solheims and started out this season by winning her third LPGA title – the Brasil Cup in Rio de Janeiro.

South Korea's Jiyai Shin, the Ricoh Women’s British Open champion, closed with a 66 to take the title on 11 under par, two shots ahead of Australia’s Katherine Hull.