Coming off this weekend’s British Open victory, American Lilia Vu rose to the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings this week, reports the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
The three-year star from UCLA reflected on her sudden rise.
Being the best in the world, that’s just crazy to me,” said Vu, according to UCLA. “Just thinking about the struggle I had this year and just to come out with that has been — it’s just incredible.”
Her win at the British Open is her third this year and her second major title. She won the 2023 Chevron Championship in April and is now the first American since Juli Inkster in 1999 to win two golf majors in the same season.
She also clinched the 2023 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, only the second American to do so. The other was Michelle Wie in 2014.
Skysports reports that just three years ago in 2020 Vu ranked outside the top 1000 professional golfers. She actually considered giving up the game after her rookie season to pursue a career in law, but her mother inspired her to pursue her golfing career.
“My rookie year was really hard for me,” Vu told reporters. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform really well and I would get down on myself when I didn’t.
She won her first professional tour victory just six months ago in February in Thailand.
That was followed by missing the cut at both the Women’s PGA Championship and US Women’s Open.
“I thought at the US Open after I played so badly, I didn’t know if I could ever win again… I thought the Chevron and winning in Thailand was going to be it for me for my career.”
“This has been the best crowd I have ever played in front of. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
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Amazing! Congrats to Asian women!!