Lilia Vu shot an immaculate spherical of eight-under 64 to recuperate from six strokes again and overhaul native favorite Natthakritta Vongtaveelap; Vongtaveelap’s hope for forcing a play-off was dashed on the ultimate gap
Final Up to date: 26/02/23 10:51am
Lilia Vu claimed a one-shot victory on the LPGA Thailand
American Lilia Vu rode a scorching putter to say her maiden LPGA crown with a one-shot victory over dwelling favorite Natthakritta Vongtaveelap on the LPGA Thailand on Sunday.
Trailing the native rookie by six strokes in the beginning of the day, 25-year-old Vu unleashed eight spectacular birdies, together with 5 straight from the eighth gap to finish her marketing campaign with an immaculate spherical of eight-under 64 for a 22-under 266 complete at Siam Nation Membership Outdated Course.
“Yesterday my dad informed me that only one good spherical and I may win. That is all I stored serious about,” mentioned Vu, whose maiden tour victory got here after three third-place finishes in 2022.
“Principally at this time I simply blacked out and tried to birdie each single gap I may,”
Vu was trailing by six strokes in the beginning of the day
The UCLA alumni got here up brief once more on the Girls European Tour in Saudi Arabia final week the place she settled for one more third place.
“I knew I used to be going to win, it was simply when… and I lastly did,” she added.
Vu turned the third American to triumph within the occasion after Lexi Thompson in 2016 and Jessica Korda in 2018.
Taking part in her first LPGA event, Vongtaveelap’s lack of expertise took a toll with the 20-year-old golfer enduring a blended remaining spherical that includes seven birdies offset by a double bogey and 4 bogeys to log out with a one-under 71 and 267 total.
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap missed her probability to drive a play-off on the ultimate gap
Her hope for forcing a play-off was dashed after her birdie try on the final landed a foot away from the pin.
Thailand must await a second native winner after former No 1 Ariya Jutanugarn prevailed within the 2021 version.
One other Thai golfer, Atthaya Thitikul, was third after a final-round 68 bought her to 268.
Maja Stark of Sweden and French Celine Boutier settled at joint-fourth on 271, one forward of top-ranked Lydia Ko, who completed joint-sixth on 272.
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