Golf’s new star Lilia Vu adds second major of year
Lilia Vu with her second major trophy of 2023 – image Ladies European Tour
25 year old American, Lilia Vu, continued her breakthrough 2023 season overnight by winning not only the third LPGA Tour event of her career and of the season but her second major following on from her win at the Chevron Championship in April.
Vu not only won the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath she dominated the final day’s play after sharing the lead through 54 holes with England’s Charley Hull.
A final round of 67 saw her win by six over Hull with Korea’s Jiyai Shin another shot away in third place.
After struggling with her game for much of the time since her win at the Chevron, Vu was overcome with the win.
“It feels surreal to have this kind of Sunday and just to come out with a win, given the past couple months, I’ve been struggling with my game and just feeling good, and yeah, I’m really happy.
“Honestly I just wanted to win golf tournaments out here on the LPGA. It’s just been a crazy year for me, just doing pretty well at the beginning of the season and just hit a lull in the middle, just struggling. I thought at the U.S. Open after I played so bad, I didn’t know if I could ever win again.
“I mean, I was still just getting out the scar tissue from the U.S. Open and just playing so horribly there, and just not feeling like myself. I thought the Chevron and winning in Honda and Thailand, that was going to be it for me for my career.”
It is projected that Vu will vault up to #1 in the world following this victory, another milestone she is coming to terms with. After being outside the top 30 at the start of the year it has been an amazing surge.
“I never even imagined that I would win that honour and to be here today with that is so amazing. I just really want to thank my team for believing in me and helping me get to this point.”
The leading Australian was eventually Grace Kim who tied for 36th in an otherwise disappointing week for the Australasians.
Minjee Lee who began the week so well and was well placed heading into the weekend faded to finish in a share of 50th.
Kim and Lee were the only two of seven Australasians to make the weekend.
