THE WOODLANDS (Agencies): American Lilia Vu beat compatriot Angel Yin in a play-off for her first major title at the Chevron Championship.
Vu started the day four shots back but moved up the leaderboard with five birdies – including two on 17 and 18 and one bogey for a 10-under total.
Yin had victory in her grasp but bogeyed 16 and 17 before ensuring a play-off with a birdie at the last.
But her second play-off shot hit the water and Vu holed a long birdie putt for the win at Carlton Woods in Texas.
“Everything happens for a reason, all the bad things,” said Vu, 25, who had considered quitting the sport a few years ago.
“The past two days, I was very angry. I didn’t feel like myself. I just felt like I was getting angry over every single little thing, and that’s usually not how I roll.”
Vu said she thought of her grandfather, who left his native Vietnam with his wife and children and died early on during the Covid-19 pandemic, to keep herself going.
“Today, I was getting really upset on the course, and I just had to remind myself, ‘Grandpa is with you and he’d be really disappointed if you were getting upset like this and that you didn’t get your act together’,” she added.
It was bitter disappointment for Yin, who started the day at the top of the leaderboard with compatriot Allisen Corpuz, who finished on seven-under after a 74 and had the outright lead through 13.
“Just wasn’t hitting it very good. Honestly, I held it together, and then 16 and 17 really just was like bad club decision,” said Yin.
“Obviously in the play-off hole, I just didn’t hit a good shot. It just kind of spoke a lot about today.”
American Nelly Korda holed an eagle putt on 18 to finish third, one shot back, after missing the tournament a year ago following surgery for a blood clot in her arm. Her performance will see her move back to the top of the world rankings.
