KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2024

Lilia Vu

Sahalee Country Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: All right, here with Lilia Vu after her third round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. What was working well for you today?

LILIA VU: I think just staying patient, one shot at a time. Everyone will make mistakes out here. It's a difficult day. The pins were difficult. Can't really attack them. Try to stay in the middle. That's basically what I was trying to do.

Q. What's been the strategy? You just been getting better and better. Is it just more comfortable on the course or are you starting to really figure it out?

LILIA VU: I think I'm starting to see the shots better off the tee. I think you kind of have to -- this course makes you hit shots both ways, and I think that was something that I had to learn pretty early on this week.

I'm able to do that right now and hopefully take that into tomorrow.

Q. Last week you talked about really going in without a lot of expectations and playing so well. How has that changed this week? Any different?

LILIA VU: Not really. I think my goal was to get better every single day this week. I know it's really demanding. You can't ask for too much at major. Really difficult off the tees. It's super narrow in my opinion.

But I think I'm just trying to do what I can with what I have.

Q. And do you feel like -- you were hoping to get some healthy rounds in last week. Do you feel you're past that barrier of thinking about that and now you can kind of go?

LILIA VU: Yeah, absolutely. I feel like I have weight off my shoulders and just out here to play my game.

Q. When did you learn how to work the ball both ways?

LILIA VU: This week. (Smiling.)

Q. For real.

LILIA VU: Honestly, I think it was this week. I kind of like to stay a creature of habit with my push draw. Can't really do that when it's ten yards of trees right here off every tee box.

Q. So who helped you with that?

LILIA VU: I think -- I mean, obviously my coach is here this week and my caddie, too. Kind of keep it really simple.

And my working it from left to right is basically like a two yard left-to-right movement. That's as much as it'll get.

Q. So are you getting more comfortable with that each day?

LILIA VU: Yeah, and just trusting that shot.

Q. I know you played with Joel Dahmen in the Grant Thornton last year. He's pretty familiar with this place having gone to the University of Washington. Did he give you any tips about how to get around?

LILIA VU: No. I didn't bother him for anything. I thought about it, but just didn't want to bother him this week.

Q. With your game are you at all surprised with how quickly you seem to have found your form coming back to the tour?

LILIA VU: I think I'm relatively proud how well I've played the past two weeks. Yeah, low expectations and I'm just out here appreciating the game more than I ever have.

Q. I know you're an avid reader. What are you into now to get your mind off golf?

LILIA VU: What did I just finish? Iron Flame. Alison Lee kind of reads the same books I do. So just finished that had one and just started Powerless. Also a fantasy book.

And then I'm also finishing a book I think it's called The Act of Surrender, just allowing everything to happen.

Q. You always have more than one going at the same time?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I usually have two.

Q. What did you do to birdie 14 and 15?

LILIA VU: I don't know how I did it.

Q. Two par-4s, yeah.

LILIA VU: Hit that left-to-right shot I've been working on and it worked out pretty well.

Q. Do you remember what you hit in on those holes?

LILIA VU: I think -- so 15 was a knock-down 8-iron, 16 -- 15 was a hold-off 9-iron into a tucked right pin. (Sic)

Q. What is it about expectations when players seem to let loose a little on that front and not be so hard on themselves, it seems to free players up.

LILIA VU: Yeah, absolutely. I think when you -- expectations are good. That means you're confident in your ability, right? You also have to know that it's not a game of perfect. You're just trying to do the best you can out here.

Q. Is it easy to let them go?

LILIA VU: It's not as easy as you would think. It's a work in progress. I feel like I'm battling that every week.

Q. When you get close you're really good at closing. Do you feel like something kicks into gear on Sundays for you when you're in contention that feels different?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I think there is -- people say this all the time, but there is really nothing to lose. I think even if you win a tournament there is really nothing to lose in the beginning.

So I think I just come out there with, okay, let me just try and birdie as many holes as I can out here. That's my goal for the day. If not, just move on.

Q. How long have you had a nothing-to-lose mentality?

LILIA VU: I think I've had it since college. I did win quite a few individual titles and I think that's where I learned how to win.

Q. Once you got away from last week what were your impressions of what you accomplished, figuring what you had going in?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I think it kind of shows how resilient I am. When you're playing bad but you're healthy it's just like, okay, let's just go practice more and work on things. But when your body is not able to do things that -- I mean, play golf which I've done since I was six, so 20 years of that, and not being able to do that is kind of a scary feeling.

Oh, maybe I might never do this again if I don't get better. But I'm proud of the team I have around me and very grateful to them.