The final round of The Chevron Championship was full of drama, with a number of players in contention throughout in Texas. However, rather fittingly, the conclusion of the tournament would come in a playoff and, after both Lilia Vu and Angel Yin fired 10-under tournament totals, it was Vu who got the victory.
Certainly, with both hitting their drives down the middle at the first playoff hole, it was still wide open as to who would pick up their maiden Major. Yin though would find the water with her approach, which would leave the door wide open for Vu, with a resulting birdie giving her the biggest title of her young career.
For the win! 🏆Lilia Vu birdies the first playoff hole to win the 2023 Chevron Championship! pic.twitter.com/bn0iPR0VLeApril 23, 2023
As the final round got underway, it was Yin and Allisen Corpuz who shared the overnight lead but, with such a congested leaderboard that included the likes of Nelly Korda and Megan Khang, it was going to be a thrilling watch on Sunday.
Conditions were tough at The Club at Carlton Woods, but it was Vu who made the early inroads, with back-to-back birdies on the second and third putting her within two of the lead. What's more, as the front nine came to a close, there were 10 players within two shots of those at the top.
Moves were being made all over the course and, when Atthaya Thitikul made four birdies in a row, she found herself at the top of the leaderboard! Again though, the order was forever changing and, just a few holes later, it was Yin who clawed her way back to the top with a birdie at the 13th.
There was plenty of drama left in this tournament and, at the 72nd hole, that was proven, as Thitikul, who had a great opportunity to take the clubhouse lead, shanked her approach on the par 5 18th. This led to a double bogey seven, which left her at eight-under for the tournament.
This left the door open for Vu to set her own target, with the 25-year-old playing her final two holes in two-under. A birdie-birdie finish was crucial for Vu, especially with a number of players still out on the golf course.
One of those was indeed Yin, who had just bogeyed the 16th and 17th to drop one back of Vu. However, the American showed guts on the 18th and final hole, with her approach finding the green at the par 5. This now meant she would have a putt to win but, as she struck the ball, the eagle attempt just slid by. She did roll in her birdie putt though, meaning we were now heading to a playoff with both Yin and Vu.
As both found the fairway with their tee shots, it was Yin to fire into the green first. However, as soon as she struck her approach she knew it wasn't good and, upon landing, it didn't clear the pond short of the green. That left it up to Vu to find the back of the green and two putt for the title and the biggest win of her young career.
