THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Five years ago, it’s conceivable that Lilia Vu — the winningest player in the history of UCLA women’s golf with eight wins, not to mention titles at the World Amateur Team Championship, Curtis Cup and Palmer Cup — pictured days like these when she was sitting atop the leaderboard at a major after 36 holes.
But just a couple years ago? After the grind of a 2019 debut LPGA season sucked the life out of her golf game, relegating her to a pair of years on the Symetra (now Epson) Tour?
“Two years ago, maybe not. I think I’ve grown a lot since COVID, and I think I just never looked back,” Vu said Friday after she fired a 32 on the front nine at the Chevron Championship.
“I was in such a bad mindset my rookie year. Everything was life or death, and that’s not how I see things anymore. I feel like there’s always a solution to any problem, so I just try to stay positive, even though I get really angry sometimes when I make a mistake. I just try to look up and be positive.”
There’s plenty for Vu to be positive about these days. After following up Thursday’s 68 with a streaky 69 on Friday, Vu walked off the Nicklaus Course at The Club at Carlton Woods atop the leaderboard that also features names like Patty Tavatanakit and Nelly Korda.
It’s a far cry from that first year, when Vu made just one cut in nine starts and took home a whopping $3,830 in prize money. The winner at the LPGA’s first major of the year takes home $765,000.
Cole Pensanti, the caddie for Lilia Vu, points out a spot on the fringe before she putts on the 16th green during the second round of the 2023 Chevron Championship. (Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
Of course, there’s plenty of golf to be played and Vu will certainly face obstacles over the next two days, including a weather forecast that could mess with Saturday’s tee times. She found adversity on the back nine during the second round, posting back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16, but snapped out of the funk with a birdie on the finishing hole. A driver that couldn’t miss on the front nine found a few patches of rough.
The field is as thick as the Bermudagrass lining the fairways with names like Tavatanakit, the 2021 champion, taking aim. After a scintillating 31 on the font, Tavatanakit sits at 6 under, just a shot behind Vu. She said during her second-round 67 that she was “in the zone and just taking it shot by shot.” Nelly Korda and Marina Alex are also T-2 at 6…
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