Lilia Vu claimed her first LPGA Tour victory of the season after defeating Lexi Thompson and Grace Kim in a play-off at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
Vu overturned an eight-shot deficit during a thrilling final day at Blythefield Country Club, carding a bogey-free 65 to finish on 16 under alongside Kim – who squandered a five-shot overnight lead – and Thompson.
The trio all birdied the par-five 18th in both the first two extra play-off holes, before Vu carded a winning birdie at the third extra play-off hole – as Thompson and Kim could only make par – to claim her fifth LPGA Tour title and first of the year.
Lexi Thompson congratulated Lilia Vu after her play-off victory
“I just couldn’t believe it,” Vu said. “I couldn’t believe I won this week. I think I was setting my bar really low so that I could meet it. I think because I tend to get in my own way when I’m trying to win, that’s when I don’t win most of the time, so just trying to stay in my lane, take advantage of all the good shots, and make all the birdie putts that I get.”
Vu’s comeback was one shot larger than last week’s seven-shot deficit overturned by Linnea Strom of Sweden at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, with four birdies over the final six holes helping her post the low round of the day.
Thompson birdied the 18th to card a four-under 68 and tie Vu, while Kim made one birdie and eight pars during the back nine of her final-round 73 and failed to hold on to her sizeable overnight advantage.
Vu won four times in 2023 and will be among the favourites for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, live on Sky Sports, having missed last month’s US Women’s Open while fighting a back injury.
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Highlights from the final round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath, where Lilia Vu claimed her second major title of the season.
“It’s hard to feel 100 per cent, but I think I’ve been 95 per cent and I think, obviously, I played more than 18 holes today, so kind of feeling a little tight,” Vu said. “It’s all good. It’s not the same as before.”
Thompson, the 11-time LPGA Tour winner who announced last month that she will retire from full-time competition at the end of the season, came up just short of ending her five-year title drought.
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“Knowing I was five shots behind starting the day, I knew I had to have the pedal down and make a lot of birdies from the jump,” Thompson said. “I can only control what I can control, so I just tried to focus one shot at a time and play within myself and my emotions. That’s all I could do. Whatever happens with the result happened, so happy with the result.”
Ally Ewing had a string of four straight birdies on her front nine and briefly touched 17 under for the tournament, but a bogey-bogey-birdie finish left her in fourth spot. Allisen Corpuz and South Korea’s Narin An both carded final-round 70s to share fifth.
What’s next?
The women’s major season continues at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, held at Sahalee Country Club in Washington and all four rounds live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 9pm via the red button and 11pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the LPGA, majors and more with NOW.
