THE AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 10, 2024

Lilia Vu

Evian Resort Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome inside the media center here at Amundi Evian Championship. I am pleased to be joined by Lilia Vu.

I would like to start off with obviously, Lilia, it's been a fun couple months for you since coming back. To have a win and a T2 finish at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, just overall, what has it been like getting ready for the Amundi Evian Championship?

LILIA VU: Yeah, it's been really fun just getting back into the groove of things. I felt like I was really nervous coming into Meijer just with how my body was going to hold up with tournament play.

Yeah, it's been really fun. It's cool to see that my body has been holding up and I don't really have to think about it and I can just play my game.

So it's been really cool.

Q. You've talked openly about the new routines and processes you had to implement over the last few weeks to get to this point. What is it like to see these results after all the work you put in over the last couple months?

LILIA VU: It's really cool because when you're doing all the stuff you don't know if it's going to work right away. I took two months off, kind of just learned how my body reacted and just my tendencies. It's a lot when I'm walking and I'm figuring it out this week as well because there is a lot of slopes. So it's like left-to-right fairways and right-to-left fairways at the same time. So I'm feeling the affects of a little bit of tightness, but, yeah, I think I'll be fine though.

Q. Course built into a mountain with beautiful views. What's it like for you to be back here in Evian?

LILIA VU: Yeah, it's so beautiful here. Sometimes you get lost with all the views and forget you're playing golf for a little bit. Super grateful to be playing here. It's super beautiful. I have a good time every year.

Super challenging course. You got to hit the right shots to the right spots. I am excited to do that this year and hopefully have a better finish than the past years that I played.

Q. Since we have last seen you we've been able to clinch a couple thing for you. One has been the Olympics. We know how important is that for you and representing the United States. There was a lovely piece that came out really going in depth on your family's story, something you were super open about after The Chevron Championship. What was it like, one, to see that piece come to fruition, and does to put the Olympics into much more perspective for you?

LILIA VU: Absolutely. You kind of read that article and you think, okay, there is more to life than just golf. For me, sometimes I'm just so head strong into golf and everything -- golf revolves around everything for me.

To see what my mom and my aunt and grandma, grandpa, my entire family went through, I think I didn't know that much detail. Brendan does a great job with the article and getting all the details, even meeting some of the remaining people from that ship that picked them up.

I didn't know there was a boat that was chasing my parents when they were escaping. That was super scary. I've even learned more about my family's history. It's hard to read that article without getting emotional. It was so well done. I really appreciate it.

Q. Now that you officially clinched that Olympic spot, to now represent your family and your story at the Olympics, overall what does that mean as we are here in France before the Olympics?

LILIA VU: Yeah, it means the world. It means that hopefully my grandpa didn't build that boat for nothing and I'm able to do something with the life he gave all of us, and I'm never going to stop trying my best.

Q. The Solheim Cup clinching moment for you, what was that like to get that call from Stacy Lewis?

LILIA VU: Oh, it's so cool. I love Solheim, any team environment. You feel like you have your friends all around you and they have your back. There is nothing to lose. Also representing United States again, that's just the biggest honor there is for an American.

And, yeah, I'm super excited. It's coming up soon with Olympics and Solheim, so a lot of good things coming.

Q. Speaking of that, I know the two-month break was not something that you wanted to be taking. That mental refresh, did that help you at all prep for this big stretch of golf with all the majors and Solheim and the Olympics?

LILIA VU: I think so. I tend to get in my own ways of being hard and being a perfectionist on my performance, and that made me take a step back. Okay, what's is my goal today? Just not be in pain. Just do the stuff I've been doing. Stick to that routine.

So it took away from golf and I ended up playing better.

Q. This tournament, I know you've had a lot of success in three of our majors. What have you learned from the past two years that you're going to apply to this week?

LILIA VU: I think just -- I say this all the time; I wish I didn't. It's is one shot at a time. This course forces you to do that. I know you guys hear this all the time, but just playing one shot at a time.

I think the front nine is mostly all left-to-right and the back nine is right-to-left, so you have to adjust your shots. I mean, you don't have to have both the shots, but it kind of makes you think more.

You can't just mindlessly go around this golf course. With the really tough greens, too, you have to worry about where you are going to land it. Sometimes you can land it in the middle of the green and you're off the green, so you have to be mindful about that.

Q. You were mentioning the physical demands and also mental. Last year was a really busy year. We had the Solheim last year. This year is another busy year and we have the Olympics. How do you manage?

LILIA VU: I'm going to be honest, I don't practice as much as I used to. I've kind of figured out that with more rest I play better, last longer out there.

So kind of maintaining my energy. I've kind of dedicated a lot of time to stretching and doing movements more. I think I'm more focused on that than anything. I know that I have my game and how good it is, so if I'm able to be healthy I'll be able to do what I want to do.

Q. And then in reference to Solheim, the notes that you would take from last year and the things that you would like to apply this year when we are in the States?

LILIA VU: I think I got -- I think I would feel a lot of pressure when I had a partner for some reason. Like I didn't want to mess up. I know that we're just all trying to do the best we can, so I'm going to go into it and give it my all and not be afraid to make mistakes. It's match play. Your teammate has your back. Just go out there and have fun.

Q. I think a lot of people may know your favorite color is pink?

LILIA VU: Yeah, a little bit.

Q. What is it like to be back in a pink wonderland?

LILIA VU: Oh, my gosh, it's been so fun. I've been looking at all the different pinks. I made a bet with another caddie -- side story. Whoever finishes better at the Olympics -- it's Ash Buhai's caddie -- that if I beat Ash then she would get pink nails, and if she beat me then I would get maybe black nails, which is really not my thing.

Anyway, side point.

Yeah, it's been really cool to see all the pinks. I love this tournament and I love to be here.

Q. That's another thing with the Olympics, the fact that it is a lot of players you're already used to seeing on a week-to-week basis but just doing it on a greater level representing your country. Now that you have officially made the team, obviously representing your country is probably the biggest honor, but what else are you excited for in Paris, around the golf course?

LILIA VU: Yeah, we're staying in Versailles, so super excited for that. I am also trying to go see the gymnastics. I think that is one thing that I wanted to go do, and maybe other sports. I think my dad wanted to watch table tennis, so I might go with him.

Yeah, I mean, there are so many sports, so many people from different countries, and hopefully I meet some people out there.

Q. I think we tried this last year. We try again. Any words in French or your favorite words in French?

LILIA VU: This is funny, I learned this from Gemma funny enough. Tu me manques, I miss you, and the perfect way to remember it Tu me money, so that's how I remember it.

Q. I think we talked about in reference to your story what and you've talked about since The Chevron Championship is how the missed cut here was really a kind of defining factor when you think about kind of your progression of really refocusing on the Epson Tour, your mom telling you, hey, this is what you are meant to you, this is why your grandpa came over here. Do you sometimes think about that when you come here, or is it more about the journey you've taken since then?

LILIA VU: Yeah, I remember when I missed the cut here it was a really big moment for me. I felt like just not in a good place. I was really hard on myself and upset with how I played. I felt like didn't live up to my kind of what I see myself as.

And so I remember being in the hotel and I'm like, I shouldn't think about golf this way. Anyone would love to be in my position and to play at Evian. I changed my perspective for the remaining tournaments and just tried to have fun out here and appreciate where I'm at.