Lilia Vu

Lilia Vu produced a Sunday masterclass to win the 2023 AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath.

The American entered the final round tied for the lead with home favourite Charley Hull on nine-under-par. Vu was two clear by the third hole, a lead she never looked like relinquishing.

The 25-year-old went on to card a five-under 67 to win by six shots, giving her a second major of the year, following her victory in the Chevron Championship in April.

Vu made a brilliant defence of her AIG Women's Open crown at St Andrews, threatening to become the first player since Yani Tseng in 2011 to defend the title before ultimately finishing in a tie for second, two shots behind Champion Lydia Ko.

Vu's best major finish had been a tie for 10th in the 2022 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, but she dramatically improved on that result by winning the Chevron. The victory, achieved following a play-off with Angel Yin, was Vu's second on the LPGA Tour in the space of nine weeks after she claimed her maiden title at February's Honda LPGA Thailand.

By the end of 2023 the Californian had won four times on the LPGA Tour, adding The Annika driven by Gainbridge title to her other successes.

Vu's year ended on a high as she was named the 2023 Rolex Player of the Year.

She had previously risen to number one on the amateur world rankings after an outstanding 2018. She was low amateur at the ANA Inspiration – an event where she had first made the cut aged 16 in 2014 - won four points out of five in America’s Curtis Cup victory, then tasted more success at the Espirito Santo World Amateur Team Championship alongside Jennifer Kupcho and Kristen Gillman.

Vu also ranked first on the University of California Los Angeles career list with eight individual titles before turning professional in January 2019. With three more victories she topped the money list on the Symetra Tour in 2021 to earn promotion to the main LPGA circuit.

Vu defeated Lexi Thompson in a play-off to win the Meijer LPGA Classic in June 2024 following a three-month lay-off with a back injury.