CPKC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 22, 2023

Lilia Vu

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, hello everybody. Welcome back inside the media center here at the CPKC Women's Open. I am pleased to be joined by the now two-time major champion, Lilia Vu.

Lilia, welcome to Vancouver and welcome back to the CPKC Women's Open. It has definitely been a fun couple of weeks for you since your win over in England. What has it been like reflecting on what your last victory was like for you?

LILIA VU: I think it's definitely different. I think I can view golf in a different way now and just have fun and know that my game is good enough to be out here and just keep doing what I'm doing.

Q. What has gone on for you in the last two weeks? How have you kind of come down from the high that is winning a major championship like the AIG Women's Open?

LILIA VU: I still feel like me. I feel like nothing has really changed. Only thing is my dad tried to bribe me. He was basically saying if I won another major we can get a cat, so I've been browsing for that.

Q. A cat? That was a deal before the major?

LILIA VU: Yes, a deal before the major, so been browsing on cats, kitties.

Q. What has the last two weeks been like for you? Obviously took the week off before this event. Did you put the clubs down for a little bit just to give yourself some celebration time? Were you able to celebrate the major victory?

LILIA VU: We were able to celebrate that night, but not entirely with the rest of the team. Hopefully in the next coming weeks we can all get together and celebrate.

Q. This is always such a quality event here at the CPKC Women's Open. What have you been focusing on? What have you been most excited about coming to Vancouver?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I've never been here. It's really beautiful. I'm excited to see the course. I know the CPKC usually always has a good turnout, so I'm super excited for that.

Q. You finished T17 at the event last year. What do you take away from being a part of an event like this? Being in Vancouver for the first time, how excited are you?

LILIA VU: I'm very excited to be here, and I feel like everyone is excited for us to play here too, so I think that brings excitement to the tournament.

Q. You're No. 1 in the world. Have you allowed yourself to realize that you are No. 1 in the world in terms of just like my play has got me to this point and I deserve to be the top-ranked golfer on the planet?

LILIA VU: I don't know if I'll ever feel like I deserve that, but I know I've put in a lot of work, and I found that my game works best when I'm having fun and just doing my thing and not thinking too much about it. Just playing one shot at a time and knowing that I can win.

Q. You talked about putting in the work. I think at the AIG Women's Open you talked about that mid-summer stretch maybe didn't go the way you wanted with the back-to-back missed cuts at the other majors. Was it a mental thing or maybe a physical thing that you did to turn things around after that mid-summer stretch?

LILIA VU: I would say that's mentally. I think it's 100% mental, because I came into my last three-week stretch with a different mindset of just playing my game and trying to be in contention.

Q. Welcome back to Canada.

LILIA VU: Thank you.

Q. What do you have to do to continue your momentum into this tournament?

LILIA VU: Just do the same thing. Don't change anything. I feel like once you get up top I feel like people either put a lot of pressure on themselves or try to change the entire thing.

I'm just going to keep it the same way.

Q. When you say keep it the same way, do you mean in terms of your day-to-day approach? Activities off the course in terms of exercise and stretching? What does that look like?

LILIA VU: Just doing the exact same thing. No need to just overdo it on the practice. No need to take the gas off the pedal, too. So just feel like I'm not No. 1 in the world and just keep playing the same way did I before.

Q. What kind of things have changed for you off the course in terms of opportunities that have come your way that might not have been there before you were a double major winner?

LILIA VU: Yeah, it's definitely been different, right? I won my first two events without any sponsorships. There is a lot of opportunities now, but I have my team that can handle that for me. It's definitely been really cool and nice to see that.

Q. I know we talked about mentally, I know Adam talked about being No. 1 in the world and how you mentally have to not think about that when you're going out. What do you do to stay in the present and stay the same Lilia week after week after week?

LILIA VU: It's still a learning process. I've never been in this position. I really think if I keep everything the same way it will turn out okay. I have a great team and they're there to help at any moment.

Q. Have you leaned on anyone for any advice type of advice, have you leaned on any other players or any past players for any advice handling everything that comes from this?

LILIA VU: Not yet. This is my first week back from winning, so I haven't run into a lot of people. Maybe Stacy Lewis will give me some insight on that.

Q. I think so too. And speaking of Stacy Lewis, obviously this is the last qualifying event for Americans for the U.S. Solheim Cup. As someone that has already clinched their spot on this team, what does it mean to look at the team start to come into formation?

LILIA VU: I think it gets me really excited because I know all the girls and I know how good they are. It makes me excited that we get to go compete for our country with such a strong team. I think it'll be really fun.

Q. Focusing here in Vancouver, we have been trying to play this course for a couple years now. The fact that we are here, have you been out there at all? What did you think of the course? What will you be focusing on to make it fit your game?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I heard -- I'm seeing the course later today -- but I heard it's playing tough and really demanding off the tee and greens will be firm. I think it's going to set up a nice challenge for us.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions? Thank you for coming through, Lilia.

LILIA VU: Thank you.