Is Injury-Hit Lilia Vu Playing in 2024 Chevron Championship?

The Chevron Championship is around the corner and will be an enthralling event with a brilliant field of 132 players. The first major championship of the 2024 LPGA Tour season is laced up with decorated golf stars, including defending champion Lilia Vu. The event has a purse of $5,200,000 and will take place at The Club at Carlton Woods.

Despite the 26-year-old’s back issues and overall bad health, the 2023 Rolex Player of the Year is ready to headline the field. In her last year’s performance at the Chevron Championship, Vu finished at -10 with two straight birdies. She added one more birdie at the first playoff hole to beat Angel Yin and proceeded with the tradition of a celebratory leap into the pond. She then also went ahead and won the 2023 Women’s British Open. The defending champion surely wishes to come back stronger this time and defend her title.

The victory drought of Lilia Vu

Reflecting on her last year’s stellar performance with four victories and 2 major titles, 2024 looks quite dry for the golfer. She started the year playing at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and finished in the 18th position, then faced a pushback to T55 in the LPGA Drive-On Championship. She was on a good run in the Honda LPGA Thailand, where she stood at T7.

The real struggle began when her injured back started to trouble her enough to abruptly leave the course of the HSBC Women’s World Championship after playing its third round. “I wasn’t feeling great overall physically, and it was just Sunday that I couldn’t handle,” said Vu. Unfortunately, the Blue Bay LPGA brought her the same fate, where she was able to play only in the first round.

However, after suffering enough, she raised herself to T37 in the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship and T21 in the Ford Championship. The sudden back-to-back withdrawals have raised many questions, but the golfer has prepared herself to face the next battle!

Who are the toughest competitors on the field?

The best players in the world will show up at the Club at Carlton Woods, including No. 1 woman golfer Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, Charley Hull, Angela Stanford, and Celine Boutier. While Nelly Korda is shining brightest on the top, Ko is also on her quest to lift the Dinah Shore Trophy. Hull finished second at the US Women’s Open last year and must be eager to land her first major by now. Boutier, on the other hand, played impressively in 2023, won the Amundi Evian Championship, and was a runner-up at the recent T-Mobile Matchplay.

Moreover, Stanford, 46, who has also been a member of the LPGA Tour since 2001, will be appearing in her 98th consecutive major championship and is capable enough to grab the title for herself with her experience on the golf course. Despite all the fuzz, Vu has gathered all the courage and is looking forward to crowning herself in the first major of the year. Will the defending champion be able to defend her title? It remains to be seen.