Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire failed to make a final day push as Lilia Vu birdied the third playoff hole to defeat Lexi Thompson and Australian Grace Kim and win the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
Vu, Thompson and Kim all finished at 16-under par at Blythefield Country Club, where Meadow's 73 saw her finish 13 shots adrift on three-under par, one shot better off than compatriot Maguire who finished with a 74.
FINAL LEADERBOARD
With the top three level at the top of the standings, they replayed the par-5 18th hole twice, with each player making birdie both times, the trio went to the par-5 fourth hole.
Vu was the only player to put her drive in the fairway, and Thompson and Kim could merely punch out for their second shots.
Vu's second shot landed in a greenside bunker, but she escaped and left herself roughly six feet for birdie.
After her competitors missed longer birdie tries, Vu sank her putt to claim her fifth career LPGA win and her first of 2024.
"I just couldn't believe it," Vu said. "I couldn't believe I won this week. I think I was setting my bar really low so that I could meet it.
"I think because I tend to get in my own way when I'm trying to win, that's when I don't win most of the time, so just trying to stay in my lane, take advantage of all the good shots, and make all the birdie putts that I get."
Kim started the day with a five-shot lead but squandered it by shooting a1-over 73 while her competitors closed in.
Vu entered Sunday eight shots off Kim's lead but shot a bogey-free, 7-under 65cto make her way back into contention.
The eight-stroke rally was one shot larger than last week's seven-shot comeback win by Linnea Strom of Sweden at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Vu won four times in 2023, including two majors, but she missed last month's US Women's Open while fighting a back injury.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.