Lilia Vu will regain the world No 1 ranking and is closing in on the LPGA Tour player of the year award after an impressive victory in Florida; Watch the CME Group Tour Championship live throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf
Last Updated: 12/11/23 11:02pm
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Highlights from the fourth round of the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club from the LPGA Tour
Highlights from the fourth round of the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club from the LPGA Tour
Lilia Vu is set for a return to world No 1 after registering a fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season with an impressive three-shot win at The Annika driven by Gainbridge in Florida.
Vu, who started the final round at Pelican Golf Club three shots behind Emily Kristine Pedersen, carded a four-under 66 on Sunday to end the week on 19 under and increase the likelihood of being crowned LPGA Tour player of the year.
The two-time major winner opened with three birdies in six holes and then cancelled out a bogey at the 12th with back-to-back gains from the 15th to pull clear of the chasing pack, with Alison Lee and Spain’s Azahara Munoz her closest challengers on 16 under.
Lilia Vu registered her fourth victory of the season to move back to world No 1
Vu came into the tournament three points behind Celine Boutier in the race for the points-based LPGA player of the year, with the American’s win now giving her a 27-point advantage over the Frenchwoman going into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
“I think like each win of mine has had its own battle, and I think today was again myself,” Vu said. “The wheels were kind of falling off a little bit on the back nine. Then [caddie Cole Pensanti] just said, ‘hey, just play your game and one shot at a time and we can make any putt from anywhere’, so just kept that positive mindset up.”
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Lee and Munoz carded matching 67s to share second spot and Korea’s Amy Yang finished a further stroke back in fourth, while overnight leader Pedersen faded on the final day and dropped to tied-fifth after a four-over 74.
Pedersen failed to make a birdie and went from trying to capture her first LPGA Tour title to seeing her season finish abruptly, with a final-hole double-bogey dropping her out of the top 60 in the season-long standings and seeing her fail to qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship.
Lilia Vu was congratulated by overnight leader Emily Kristine Pedersen (left) after her victory
Madelene Sagstrom missed the cut and appeared to fall out of the top 60 when Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia closed with a 67 to share fifth, although Pedersen’s costly finish means the Swede advances to next week’s season finale.
China’s Ruoning Yin is no longer in contention for Rolex Player of the Year after finishing tied-seventh, while Boutier will require a win and for Vu to finish eighth or worse next week if she’s to take the title.
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