Lilia Vu likes flying beneath the radar in her title protection.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
THE WOODLANDS, Texas — When Lilia Vu touched down this week, one thing felt completely different.
“Immediately, after I landed in Houston it felt very calming to me,” Vu stated Tuesday. “I felt virtually kind of house. I don’t know, I simply stored interested by it. Even my mother and father had been speaking about it final evening; may very well be a spot to think about to maneuver.
“As soon as I hit that first shot on the primary gap yesterday I used to be like, that is house. It simply feels so proper.”
Vu is again because the defending champion at the Chevron Championship, which is being performed for the second time on the Membership at Carlton Woods, a half-hour drive from Houston.
The 26-year-old not solely seeks to proceed because the Chevron’s solely winner since its transfer from Palm Springs, however she’s additionally the winner of the most recent major championship ultimately summer time’s AIG Girls’s Open.
Vu had a breakout 2023, profitable two different occasions along with her two main titles and ended the year as the top-ranked player in the world and the LPGA’s Player of the Year.
One would assume coming into her first main title protection she’d be the focus. However Lydia Ko received the season’s first occasion in Orlando to get inside a degree of Corridor of Fame qualification, and Nelly Korda has ousted Vu as World No. 1 with a surprising run of 4 wins in as many begins; a victory this week would make 5.
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That’s left Vu considerably beneath the radar, which is okay by her.
“I sometimes wish to fly beneath the radar,” Vu stated. “They’ve been taking part in nice. It exhibits how aggressive this sport is.
“I’m going to be sincere, I’m not attempting to place an excessive amount of stress on myself. I believe I’m going to have a look at this match as a brand new alternative to win and never put an excessive amount of stress of attempting to defend my title.”
This season, Vu has not but discovered the success of 2023; her finest end was a T7 in a title protection on the Honda LPGA Thailand. She then withdrew mid-tournament from her subsequent two begins whereas coping with a again harm.
“It’s been a tough couple months battling with my harm. It’s been a bit scary,” she stated. “I’ve undoubtedly cried lots on the vary typically as a result of my again simply couldn’t maintain up.
“It’s simply been type of an up and down not being absolutely bodily wholesome. On the times that I really feel bodily wholesome, then I’ll get upset not performing the best way I believe I ought to.”
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However Vu arrived in Texas feeling lastly wholesome and able to take pleasure in herself on the course, she stated. She has stopped lifting in the interim and is working with a physiotherapist every day.
She involves a Carlton Woods course that’s completely different than the received she one received a 12 months in the past. The membership constructed new greens and added a number of bunkers alongside the Jack Nicklaus Signature course that was the LPGA’s longest take a look at final season.
Vu stated she expects it to play harder and firmer, however the adjustments assist her to neglect that she’s defending this week.
She additionally acquired some ultimate phrases of encouragement earlier than she began her prep for the week.
“As soon as we landed right here on Sunday my dad was saying to me, ‘No matter occurs, occurs. Let it’s. Don’t get offended. Don’t get too up and down. Simply do your factor. You’re ok,’” Vu stated. “If I keep wholesome this week I believe I’ll be capable of do what I have to do.”
