SINGAPORE – Fresh off a stellar amateur career that saw Lilia Vu ascend to the top of the world amateur rankings, high hopes were placed on the American golfer as she embarked on her professional journey in 2019.
That all came crashing down quickly in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, as she pocketed just US$3,830 (S$5,100) after missing seven cuts. She lost her tour card and dropped down to the second-tier Epson Tour for two years.
That must seem like a distant blip for Vu now, after a phenomenal 2023 that saw her clinch four titles on the LPGA Tour, including two Majors, to propel her to the women’s world No. 1 spot.
With top spot comes added pressure, though Vu believes her early experiences have equipped her to deal with everything that comes with being the best in the world.
She said: “I think that year needed to happen, missing seven cuts needed to happen so I could re-evaluate what I needed around me to achieve my goals.
“If I came out of college playing really well, I wouldn’t have been as successful as I am now.”
The 26-year-old was speaking to the media ahead of the HSBC Women’s World Championship, which will be held at the Sentosa Golf Club from Feb 29 to March 3.
Reflecting on her early days as a professional, Vu said her slump then was a result of her not being ready to take the step up.
She added: “I put a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations (on myself). I was the No. 1 amateur at that point and I felt a lot of pressure to perform really well on the professional stage and every time I didn’t perform well, it chipped away at my confidence and that’s something that I had to build back.”
Maintaining her self-belief was difficult during this period, but it was key in getting her through it.
Vu said: “You have to train your mind and think, ‘Okay, you’ve got to stick to your process, try to be one per cent better every day and know that you’re good enough, know that you know how to win and just stop thinking about when you’re going to win’.”
Her positive mindset contributed to her success in 2023 and she hopes to carry that mentality into the new season, even as she acknowledged that the target is now on her back.
The underdog who had no sponsors when she won her first two tournaments is now a name on the golf course, and the player everyone wants to beat.
She said: “I put a little bit more pressure on myself, so I’m trying to fight that right now and go back to when I had no expectations, because that’s when I play my best.
“People are always reminding me ‘you’re world No. 1’, but that’s something that I’m constantly trying to work through.”
For now, she is looking forward to returning to Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course, where she finished tied-14th at the HSBC event in 2023.
“I don’t feel pressure to play well in Singapore, I know that I can do better,” said Vu, winner of the Chevron Championship and Women’s British Open in 2023.
“I remember finishing the tournament last year thinking that I missed out on some shots and I could have played better golf and been smarter.
“So I’m excited to come back, play it better, perform better and have a good time.”
