Six-shot victory for Lilia Vu at 2023 AIG Women’s Open

Lilia Vu stormed to her second Major victory of the year winning the 2023 AIG Women’s Open by six strokes at Walton Heath.

The American, who won the first Major of the year at The Chevron Championship in April, began the day as co-leader alongside home favourite Charley Hull on nine-under-par.

Vu got off to a strong start with a birdie on the second hole and followed it up with another on the ninth to be in control at the halfway stage of the final round.

The 25-year-old then added further birdies on 10 and 12 before she ran into trouble at the 15th but still came away with a bogey.

But Vu soon bounced back with a birdie on 16 and finished in style with a birdie on 18 to seal a final round of 67 (-5) and win the final Major of the year with a total of 14-under-par.

“I can’t thank my team and my family enough for really believing in me,” said Vu. “It was really hard for the past couple of months and somehow, they really believed in me and helped me get this win here.

“I love playing with Charley [Hull], she is so fun to watch. I remember looking back yesterday at the crowd and just wanting to play with her today. She is so great, so nice and I love playing with her. She’s a really great golfer.

“This has been the best crowd I have ever played in front of in my life. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life. They have been so great; I know they were rooting for Charley, but they clapped for me too which is amazing.”

England’s Hull finished in outright second place on eight-under-par after carding a round of 73 (+1) on the final day at Walton Heath.

Korea’s Jiyai Shin ended the week in solo third place on seven-under-par after shooting a round of 70 (-2) on day four in Surrey.

There were two players one stroke further back on six-under-par with Korean pair Amy Yang and Hyo-Joo Kim in a tie for fourth place.

Germany’s Olivia Cowan who is a brand ambassador for JA Resort, carded a final round of 70 (-2) to produce her best-ever finish in a major championship with T9 alongside Andrea Lee of the United States.

English amateur Charlotte Heath won the Smyth Salver, which is awarded to the leading amateur, and is the first English player to win since Sophie Lamb in 2017.

In the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, Celine Boutier extended her lead at the top of the rankings and now has 1,725.38 points to her name. Ana Peláez Trivińo still sits in second place, India’s Aditi Ashok in third and Sweden’s Linn Grant in fourth.

Since 2019, The R&A and AIG have focused on elevating women’s golf, and the AIG Women’s Open in particular, with the total prize fund for this year’s Championship US$9 million, a 23% increase on 2022.