By Canadian Press

American Lilia Vu storms to maiden LPGA title in Thailand

Feb 26, 2023 | 8:59 AM

PATTAYA, Thailand (AP) — American Lilia Vu rode a hot putter to claim her maiden LPGA crown with a one-shot victory over home favorite Natthakritta Vongtaveelap at the LPGA Thailand on Sunday.

Trailing the local rookie by six strokes at the start of the day, 25-year-old Vu unleashed eight impressive birdies, including five straight from the eighth hole to end her campaign with an immaculate round of 8-under 64 for a 22-under 266 total at Siam Country Club Old Course. 

“Yesterday my dad told me that just one good round and I could win. That’s all I kept thinking about. Basically today I just blacked out and tried to birdie every single hole I could,” said Vu, whose maiden tour victory came after three third-place finishes in 2022. 

The UCLA alumni came up short again at the Ladies European Tour in Saudi Arabia last week where she settled for another third place.

“I knew I was going to win, it was just when… and I finally did,” she added. 

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Vu became the third American to triumph in the event after Lexi Thompson in 2016 and Jessica Korda in 2018. 

Playing her first LPGA tournament, Vongtaveelap’s lack of experience took a toll with the 20-year-old golfer enduring a mixed final round featuring seven birdies offset by a double bogey and four bogeys to sign off with a 1-under 71 and and 267 overall. 

Her hope for forcing a play-off was dashed after her birdie attempt at the last landed a foot away from the pin. 

Thailand will have to wait for a second local winner after former No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn prevailed in the 2021 edition. 

Another Thai golfer, Atthaya Thitikul, was third after a final-round 68 got her to 268. 

Maja Stark of Sweden and French Celine Boutier settled at joint fourth on 271, one ahead of top-ranked Lydia Ko, who finished joint-sixth on 272. 

Canada’s Brooke Henderson had a 1-over 73 final round to finish at 281 total.

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The Associated Press