Tag: outlasts

LPGA: Lilia Vu outlasts Lexi Thompson in epic playoff lpga,lilia,vu,outlasts,lexi,thompson,in,epic,playoff,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,lpga-golf,golf-news

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Somehow, someway, Lilia Vu is an LPGA winner again.

Vu, the second-best player in the world behind Nelly Korda, has battled a back injury for most of the season. She even missed the U.S. Women’s Open two weeks ago, and had to withdraw from the Chevron Championship in April because of her back. But Vu overcame that ailment—and an eight-shot deficit on Sunday—to win the Meijer LPGA Classic in thrilling fashion.

Vu carded a 7-under 65 to climb up the leaderboard on Sunday, as she finished at 16-under-par, putting her in a tie with Lexi Thompson and Grace Kim after 72 holes. The trio needed three holes to determine the winner, but in the end, Vu made a birdie putt on the third playoff hole to seal the deal.

“I wasn’t thinking about winning,” Vu said.

“This was the one day I was playing really well. Felt really good with my swing. Coming back from an injury, I was a little up in the air, not knowing my swing, and I felt like I didn’t know where my arms were if I wasn’t tight. I was just trying to make contact today. That’s it.”

Like Vu, Thompson came from behind to get into the playoff. She fired a 4-under 68 on Sunday, while Kim, the 54-hole leader, carded a 1-over 73 on Sunday to fall back to the field.

After all three ladies made birdies on the first two extra holes, they walked over to the par-5 4th. After each player found the green in regulation, Thompson and Kim missed their putts to extend the playoff while Vu sank her birdie putt for the win.

“I think my mindset when it comes to putting is pretty simple: It goes in, or it doesn’t,” Vu said.

“I don’t put a lot of pressure on it. That relieves the pressure for me, and I go for it.”

Vu won her first LPGA win in Thailand in February 2023 from six shots back, so she has experience coming from behind.

“I felt like my first win I had blinders on,” Vu said.

“In the final round, I was focused on making birdies. I felt like that today. I felt like I left some out there, too. So once I got the opportunity for the playoff, I got to the box, and my caddie said, ‘There is nothing to lose now.’ We just went out there and played.”

Vu called this one of her most meaningful wins because she did not know if she could ever play golf pain-free again.

But clearly, she can.

Now, Vu has her fifth career LPGA victory as she eyes another major championship at next week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Hopefully, her back holds up for her at Sahalee.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau outlasts Rory McIlroy, wins u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,outlasts,rory,mcilroy,wins,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

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Words can barely describe the scenes that played out down the stretch at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday.

But in the end, Bryson DeChambeau emerged victorious, winning his second U.S. Open title in four years. He shot a 1-over 71 on Sunday, needing every single stroke to outlast Rory McIlroy by one.

It all came down to the 18th hole, where McIlroy, in the group ahead of DeChambeau, missed a 3-foot-9-inch par putt to drop down to 5-under for the championship. Had that putt dropped, McIlroy likely would have forced a playoff with DeChambeau, who stood in the fairway at 6-under.

DeChambeau made a brilliant par save to seize the title. His drive went way left off the tee and settled on a root under a tree. He then scuttled his second shot up and into the bunker 50 yards short of the green, greatly diminishing his chances of saving par.

Yet, he got the job done. DeChambeau hit a wonderful third shot from the sand, as it stopped four feet away from the cup. He called it the greatest shot of his life during the ceremony afterward.

DeChambeau then went on to roll it in for par, much unlike McIlroy minutes before.

Meanwhile, this loss will hurt McIlroy for years to come. He had a terrific chance to seize his first major in a decade and held a two-shot lead at one point on the back nine. But his putter went completely cold over the final three holes. He missed a 2-foot-6-inch putt on the 16th hole, which not only horrified everyone watching but also put him in a tie with DeChambeau at 6-under. McIlroy also made a bogey on the par-3 15th after air-mailing the green.

Then his misstep at 18 happened, giving DeChambeau the opportunity to make par and win the U.S. Open.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.