MIAMI:
Lilia Vu won her fourth LPGA title of the year on Sunday, shooting a four-under 66 to win The Annika by three strokes and return to the top of the world rankings.
Vu had five birdies and a bogey at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., more than enough to overhaul leader Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark.
Pedersen’s bid for a first US LPGA title was delayed as the Dane finished with two bogeys and a double bogey to leave her in a tie for fifth.
With the season-ending Tour Championship coming up next week, Vu joined France’s Celine Boutier as the only players with at least four wins this season.
The 26-year-old Californian notched her first career win in Thailand before adding major titles at the Chevron Championship and the Women’s Open.
Despite the successes, which will see her replace China’s Yin Ruoning at the top of the rankings and pit her against Boutier in the race for Player of the Year, Vu said winning doesn’t seem to be getting any easier.
“It doesn’t,” he said. “I think every win of mine has had its own battle and I think today (was) myself again. The wheels were falling off a little bit on the back nine, early on the back nine.”
She took heart from her best man, who told her “we can make a putt from anywhere”, and after her lone bogey of the day on the 12th she added birdies on the 15th and 16th which proved decisive.
Vu said the biggest lesson of her rookie season was “not giving up.”
“I know I tend to be very hard on myself,” he said. “As long as I’m kind of taking it easy on myself, just to be in contention on the weekend, then it kind of happens.”
Vu had played her way into contention with a 62 on Saturday and Pedersen, who started the day with a three-shot lead over Vu, Amy Yang and Alison Lee, was unable to find the birdies she needed to hold off her pursuers.
After bogeys in eighth and 11th place, he finally made a double six and missed qualifying for the Tour Championship.
Lee and Spain’s Azahara Munoz tied for second with 264, both shooting three-under 67s.
South Korea’s Yang was alone in fourth after making two birdies and two bogeys in her 70 for 265.
Pedersen was tied at 266 with Australia’s Stephanie Kyriakou (67).
American Nelly Korda, who entered the week looking for a third consecutive event win, finished tied for 25th.
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