BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 24, 2023

Lilia Vu

Shadow Creek

Quick Quotes

Q. You were pretty evenly matched with Lauren for the first three holes and went birdie, birdie. Was there anything that started working for you to kind of make you jump out to the two-hole lead?

LILIA VU: No, I think I didn't really change anything about my game. Just tried to hit good shots and play really well. She was playing really good, too, so just trying to focus on myself and hit the shots that I needed to.

Q. And then you finish it up, four holes. Was it as important as the No. 1 overall seed to come in and be like, I'm the No. 1 seed, I earned this role, and have a dominating performance?

LILIA VU: I feel like that's pretty circumstantial. I feel like No. 1 seed for me didn't really matter, because as I was saying before, I said this to Kay, it doesn't really matter. I have nothing to lose and so does Lauren. I'm just going to go out there and try my best.

Q. You spent a lot of time at the microphone here last year. Best finish on tour at the time. Now you come back as a major champion and two-time winner. Talk about how your life has changed in the past year.

LILIA VU: Yeah, I think it's just all mental. Just towards the end of the season last year I was really upset with just not walking off with a win that season even though I was playing really well.

Then this year I kind of came into the season with nothing, no pressure, and I just knew and had to trust that I was going to come out with a win this season. It came out right out of the gate, and then that's when I knew, just playing free golf is when I play my best.

Q. So last year five of the eight of you in the quarterfinals went on to become first-time winners. Is there something about this course or event that kind of launched you or just circumstance that you were all playing well?

LILIA VU: I think this tournament definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into the season last year. Just knowing that I had a Top 3 under my belt, I think that just propels you.

I think right after this event it was the U.S. Open too and I think we all did pretty well there. I think it just pushed us forward. This course is not easy. Greens are firm. You kind of have to be really smart with where you land the golf ball. You can't just go for pins, which I love.

So taking the conservative route this week. It's really fun to play golf, a different style. It's not easy. It's been really fun with my caddie and I just figuring out how to play this course.

Q. Talk about just personally now that you're a major champion, all the time commitments that are required of you every time you show up at tournament every week now.

LILIA VU: Yeah. I mean, it's been a learning process for me. I mean, last year it was learning what courses and tournaments fit my game and how many tournaments in a row.

This year it's just figuring out how to pace myself moving forward.

Q. Beats the alternative, not being a winner.

LILIA VU: Yeah, I think I told somebody, as much as I like -- it's tough because I'm an introvert. It's tough doing media, but I love winning way more so I always have to do it anyways.

Q. I have this memory of you last year after the semifinals in the parking lot just completely exhausted. Are you mentally prepared to be in that same spot again this year?

LILIA VU: Yeast, I am. I feel like I'm physically more fit this year anyway. My training on the road and now I have a private physio, so should be good to go. I feel like last year was just a great year for me to figure out what I needed and then we squared that away really quick.

Q. Thank you.

LILIA VU: Yeah.

Q. Couple more from me. Looking at today's round, we saw on the broadcast when Lauren hit the water. Was that for you helping in terms of when you think about what those last finishing holes are like for you? Would that kind of ease any momentum or confidence that you had?

LILIA VU: The course is really tricky. Even when you hit the green you're not given the hole yet.

So I think I didn't -- every time you get ahead of yourself and you think that you have a leg up on someone you end up maybe even losing the hole, so I think just sticking to the game plan and just keep on trying to play my best.

Q. And your caddie, Cole, is a Las Vegas resident.

LILIA VU: Yes.

Q. Big week for him as well. What's it like having someone not exactly a local caddie, but has that local expertise when it comes to Shadow Creek?

LILIA VU: Yeah, definitely some weight off my shoulders. Been hitting it super far this week because of the heat and elevation. He just knows exactly about how far we're going to hit each shot and each club.

I think that gave me peace of mind, and, yeah, we're having fun.

Q. Feels like when you look at yourself maybe a year ago at this tournament to now, would you believe where you were at this point?

LILIA VU: I think deep down I believed that I could get to this point, but I always tend to get in my own way. I did that at the end of last season, which was a big lesson for me, which is really good now, because if I fall into that and I kind of feel myself putting a lot of pressure on myself, I know, like, hey, you're not going to play good golf if you keep doing this. I'm able to flip a switch and go back to free golf.