NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 24, 2022

Lilia Vu

Pinnacle Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Lilia Vu after your second round here in Arkansas. Let's start with that big eagle on No. 7. Long putt. Can you take us through that hole.

LILIA VU: Yeah, I hit a really good drive. It was downwind. Had 205 into the green and into the pin, and I just hit my 190 club. Landed just short and rolled up a bit to 16 feet, and then saw the line and I made the putt.

Q. Yeah, a lot of birdies for you through the last two days. How has your putting been and how are you reading these greens? Well?

LILIA VU: I think my caddie and I are reading the greens pretty well. I just focus on hitting that line, and if it goes in, great. If not, just move on.

Q. You were just talking about Golf Channel about staying patient and you say you don't make a birdie and you move on. Has that sort of been your motto the last couple weeks, chasing the birdies or letting them happen I guess?

LILIA VU: Letting them happen, taking advantage as they come. I feel like I've always played this kind of game with myself, match play with the golf course. Each hole I try to make a birdie. If not, move on. It's okay. New hole.

Q. You also talked about your back injury, so I'm wondering with that new challenge for you, does that help you sort of -- does that motivate you in any way knowing you have that extra challenge? Does it help you stay more focused? Some athletes are like that.

LILIA VU: I think it helps me have lower expectations. Like I'm just trying to manage, have fun out here, just play my game, not be too hard on myself, because I can get really hard on myself. That's when I get frustrated. That can spill into my golf game on the course.

So I think it's definitely helping me stay more patient.

Q. So last year at the same time you were down in South Eastern Arkansas at El Dorado, and I'm wondering, how does it feel to be here now a year later at the top of the leaderboard on the LPGA Tour?

LILIA VU: It feels really good. I mean, I feel like it was never a matter of my game or skills that were lacking. I felt like I just wasn't looking at golf in a healthy and positive way. Every shot was life or death.

I feel like I figured it out last year. I'm just going to go out there and have fun. I know how good I am. I'm going to try my best, and whatever happens happens.

Taking that mindset into this year has helped me as well.

Q. Then your back injury plays into that mindset. That's a little just odd. Like does your back injury help you have more fun because you get less frustrated?

LILIA VU: I mean, I'm trying to think of everything in a positive way. I feel like everything happens for a reason in my life and everything else, so just trying to stay positive.

Q. Did you have fun today?

LILIA VU: I had a lot of fun, yeah.

Q. Are you happy with your results?

LILIA VU: Yeah. Excited for tomorrow, too.

Q. Are you going to be aggressive tomorrow or are you feeling a little bit more like you're trying to protect your lead?

LILIA VU: I think definitely try to do the same thing I did today. I feel like you kind of get carried away when you're in the final group and you're thinking about too much. When I play my best golf when I'm not worried about myself and just trying to have fun.

Q. Going to be thinking about the fact this might be your first LPGA win at all?

LILIA VU: No. I think I'm just going to take it one hole at a time not get ahead of myself.

Q. I have one more. Seeing your long-time -- Andrea Lee, like last week I know you guys have played together a lot. Playing with her last week, does that give you the confidence knowing you can do it, knowing you have such similar stories?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I mean, I was so impressed last week playing with her. She just hits the ball so dang straight. She putts so well. So it was really fun to see that up close in person.