AIG Women’s Open: Charley Hull ‘deflated’ after major runner-up finish to Lilia Vu at Walton Heath
Lilia Vu claimed a six-shot victory at the AIG Women’s Open over Charley Hull, who carded a final-round 73 to claim a second major runner-up finish of the year; Hull was looking to become the first Englishwoman to win a major since Georgia Hall in 2018
Highlights of the final round of the AIG Women’s Open from Walton Heath
Charley Hull has vowed to claim an elusive major victory in 2024 after having to settle for a runner-up finish behind Lilia Vu at the AIG Women’s Open.
Hull held a share of the 54-hole lead at Walton Heath as she looked to extend the run of first-time major winners, only for her challenge to fade on the final day as Vu took control of the tournament.
The Englishwoman posted a final-round 73 to finish six strokes back in second, her second runner-up finish in majors and fourth overall in 2023, with Hull determined to build on those near-misses and reach the major winner’s circle next year.
- Lilia Vu cruises to major victory | Emotional Lilia Vu reflects on victoryAIG Women’s Open: Final scores | Final round as it happenedStream the LPGA Tour and more with NOW for £26 a month for 12 months
Charley Hull holes a sensational chip for an eagle on the par-five 11th at the AIG Women’s Open
“I’ve come second twice now in the majors and for me probably the two biggest majors, the US Women’s Open and the AIG Women’s Open, so I really feel like next year’s my time to win one,” Hull told Sky Sports.
“They’re two different second-place finishes, as at the US Women’s Open I was coming from behind and for this one I was starting at the front. Now I know what to do on both of them, so I just feel very determined for next year.
Charley Hull admits she felt ‘deflated’ after her final round at the AIG Women’s Open saw her finish six shots behind winner Lilia Vu
“Truthfully I want to be with my coach at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning and I just want to work on a load of stuff. I just want to get started as soon as possible and just get working and make my hands bleed – I want to hit that many golf balls!
Hull made back-to-back bogeys from the third and suffered a cruel lip-out with a long birdie chance at the fifth, then ended a run of pars with a sensational bunker hole-out at the 11th to briefly get back within three of the lead.
Charley Hull immediately slipped down the leaderboard with back-to-back bogeys early in her final round
A bogey at the par-four 15th and a missed eagle at attempt at the 16th ended any slim victory hopes, with Hull bogeying the 17th and needing to hole a monster putt to save par at the last and retain outright second.
“I feel a bit deflated, but I just don’t feel like anything went my way today,” Hull added. “I felt like I actually played quite solid, just didn’t really hole many putts.
Charley Hull’s brilliant birdie attempt on the fifth somehow stays out as she tries to chase down leader Lilia Vu
“I had a dirty lip-out on the fifth hole and it just kind of killed my momentum. I played well. Not as well as I wanted to, but Lilia [Vu] just ran away with it.”
Davies: Hull major will come ‘very soon’
Hull was aiming to become just the fifth Englishwoman to win a major, with Dame Laura Davies – winner of the AIG Women’s Open before it was a major in 1986 – expecting the 27-year-old to join that group in the future.
“One of them [Vu or Hull] just had to shoot a low round to see the other one off,” Davies said. “I thought it was going to be the other way round. I’d thought the momentum was with Charley, but Vu showed us how good she is.
“I spoke with Charley’s caddie and he said, ‘she never gave us a chance’. They never really felt they could get to her – she was so in control.
An emotional Lilia Vu says she’ll remember her AIG Open victory for the rest of her life after easing to a six-shot victory at Walton Heath
“Charley hasn’t got a major yet and maybe she was trying too hard. Yesterday she seemed so relaxed, whereas today it was almost like she was trying to make putts – and when you do that it often doesn’t work.
“That said, I noticed that Lilia Vu won it rather than Charley lost it. It was Lilia’s show. Charley is going to win one very soon. I love her game and she has got a great attitude.”
The LPGA Tour season heads to Northern Ireland for the ISPS Handa World Invitational, live on Thursday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup and more with NOW for £26 a month for 12 months.
