American Lilia Vu made her first LPGA Tour victory a memorable one, rallying from a six-shot deficit with a final-round 64 to claim the LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course in Chonburi, Thailand, on Sunday Feb. 26.
Vu birdied five consecutive holes (Nos. 8–12) and claimed her first lead of the tournament with another on the par-4 15th, nudging ahead of tour rookie and 54-hole leader Natthakritta Vongtaveelap. Vongtaveelap opened the door with a bogey on the second hole and a double-bogey at the par-3 No. 4.
Vu was bogey-free on Sunday, made par on the final four holes and finished 22-under, one shot better than Thailand native Vongtaveelap, who carded her worst round of the tournament at 71.
“Feels really good to get it done. I feel like I put a lot of pressure on myself at the end of last year, and during the offseason I kind of just changed my mindset. Like I always knew I was going to win, I just got to let it happen,” said Vu, 25, who finished tied for third of better last season. “The more you hold onto something I feel like it gets further away. I came close a lot towards the end of the last season, so I was just going to have fun and play my game and it would eventually work itself out.”
Lilia Vu of the United States takes photo with her family with the trophy on the 18th green after winning the 2023 Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club in Chon Buri, Thailand on Feb. 26, 2023. (Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)Temperatures in the 90s all week played a role in how aggressive players were with approach shots. But wind gusts up to 30 mph changed the game on Sunday.
“It was windier on the last day,” Vongtaveelap said. “I need to practice more on playing against the strong wind. Today’s shots were against the strong wind, so I couldn’t score well today.”
The round of 64 was the second-best round of Vu’s career. She shot 63 at the 2022 Ascendant LPGA.
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap (L) and Atthaya Thitikul (R) of Thailand hug after finishing at the 18th hole during the final round of the Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club in Chon Buri, Thailand, on Feb. 26, 2023. (Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)Two-time LPGA winner Atthaya Thitikul was third at 20–under playing in her hometown. She shot 68 on Sunday.
“It’s always special event in my career,” Thitikul said. “Had good, positive vibes here for finishing today as well. Not getting there, but all the process has been in the right direction.”
Next top American World No. 2 Nelly Korda, finished tied for 6th with World No. 1 Lydia Ko and Jin Young Ko.
Nelly Korda of the United States smiles before tee off at 1st hole during the final round of the Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club in Chon Buri, Thailand, on Feb. 26, 2023. (Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)Sweden’s Maja Stark and France’s Celine Boutier tied for fourth at –17.