Five-time LPGA Tour winner Lilia Vu has mathematically clinched a spot on the 2024 U.S. Solheim Cup Team.
After finishing in a tie for second at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the 26-year-old has racked up 1,932.50 total points throughout the Qualifying Period, which began at the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and will run through the final day of the AIG Women’s Open on Aug. 25.
Vu has earned five LPGA Tour victories in that span, becoming a Rolex First-Time Winner at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2023 and then capturing her first major title at The Chevron Championship not long after in April. The Epson Tour graduate won another major championship at the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club, collecting one more 2023 title in November at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
Her four victories not only propelled Vu to Rolex Player of the Year honors and the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award; they also qualified Vu for her first U.S. Solheim Cup Team. She earned a 1-3-0 record at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain, winning her singles match over Madelene Sagstrom to nab a point for the Americans, who went on to tie the Europeans for the first time in Solheim Cup history.
The 2024 LPGA Tour season has seen Vu struggle with a lingering back injury, discomfort that caused her to withdraw from her title defense at The Chevron Championship and take a much-needed two-month hiatus to rest and recover.
Then in her first start back on Tour at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Vu showed no signs of rust, winning the event after emerging victorious from a three-hole playoff with Grace Kim and Lexi Thompson.
“I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe I won this week,” said Vu after her win in Michigan. “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.”
Even though she has been dealing with injury, U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Stacy Lewis knows that having an experienced and healthy Vu tee it up at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in September will be a major asset for the Red, White and Blue.
“Coming off last year, when Lilia had an unbelievable year, it was just a matter of time for her to make the team,” said Lewis. “This year, not getting started the way she would have liked and having to deal with her injury definitely set her back for a bit. It’s been very exciting to see how she’s played the last two starts, coming out of the injury with her win and really just picking up where she left off.
“She’s a tremendous player, from ball striking to putting with a true all-around game. We’re excited to have her back for her second Solheim Cup, with an opportunity to step up and become a leader on this team.”
Vu is the second U.S. player to clinch a spot on the 2024 team, joining Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda, who secured her spot on the squad a couple of weeks ago, following the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.
The 19th edition of the Solheim Cup will be held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., from September 13-15. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.solheimcupusa.com/overview.
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