Q. All right, a nice way to get hopefully into the top 10 today after a round like that. Overall what did you come into this week focused on?
LILIA VU: I think I did feel a little bit of the pressure of being like oh, it's your first time defending.
But I love this place. I had a really great time with my parents. I went to dinner with a couple of the players. I went to dinner with Patty and her parents too and it's been a really fun week.
It's more than just golf. It's spending time with people, too. I just always think there are good vibes here and I think it showed in my golf game. First day I got a little shocked by the heat. My strain was 19 on the WHOOP. That's not normal. Yeah.
So I think kind of just rested and maintained my energy out there, made sure to eat, and yeah, just played my game.
Q. What was it like kind of getting that first round out of the way and kind of refocused for the second through fourth round? Did you do anything differently? I know you talk about the heat. Did you prepare any differently knowing that that is back and a factor in this game?
LILIA VU: I think I'm on my seventh mango sticky rice. I didn't have it like before the first round and had it every single day since. I think that really helped.
Q. About this round today specifically what's the mindset and strategy knowing it's anyone's game?
LILIA VU: Just make as many birdies as I could. I know I missed maybe three birdies out there, but can't really complain. I think the eagle on 15 really made up for it.
Q. Walk me through the eagle there, being on the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole.
LILIA VU: I didn't know it was the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole until after the round. Yeah, and I think I just was focusing on hitting a good drive. I hit a good drive yesterday too. Was it moved up? Yeah, yesterday too.
I was just short of the green on the fringe so I knew I could get there. Just focused on a really good drive and actually got a good bounce today and was maybe 15 or 18 feet, something around there.
Just stood up and tried to make the putt. Nothing else mattered at that point. I did what I needed to do. Let's try and make the putt.
Q. To be in the position you are now in a place you're comfortable with and have good memories, what does it mean to come out with a top 10 year and what have you learned about your game since DriveOn?
LILIA VU: That I'm very resilient. I think I was really scared after DriveOn. I didn't feel like I had a productive off-season despite what my team was telling me. I just didn't unbelievable myself. It definitely showed up at TOC and at DriveOn.
So I think I had a good three weeks after those two tournaments and worked my game into shape a little faster than I did during the off-season. Just tried get back out there and have fun playing tournaments because that's what I love to do.
Q. Obviously going into Singapore next week. Very big tournament as well. I know you're also playing Blue Bay.
LILIA VU: Yeah.
Q. Being able to take advantage of all three of these Asia Swing events, what are you looking forward to most about Singapore and what are you taking away from your game this week?
LILIA VU: I think this game was definitely gave my a lot more confidence than past two events, and kind of shows that I am resilient. I think that's going to give me a lot of motivation to go out there and play my game and just trust that I have it.
I think that was where I fall into my imposter syndrome sometimes and I'm like, I don't think I have it anymore, and then one day you'll have it. Just maintaining and nurturing that side, okay, you're good.
It's kind of crazy thinking about like oh, you're at the top of your sport and you don't feel like it. That's something that I've had to battle quite a bit.
Q. Did you battle that this week?
LILIA VU: Yeah, for sure. I think people talk about it our more because that is an achievement, right? The more it was brought up the less I felt it. It was kind of weird. I'm trying not to let that control me and just know that I am where I am because I enjoyed playing tournaments and just trying to get back to that.
Q. I think it's definitely a mindset.
LILIA VU: Yeah.
Q. How much has your team, especially coming off the first round, how much did your team, parents being here this week frame at that mindset and get you out of that imposter syndrome?
LILIA VU: Cole, he's on the bag, and definitely helped me this week just saying, okay, you have it. It's headed in the right direction. You just need to go out there and good shots. Even today I hit a bad shot and he's like, you can't let that define your round.
That's when I turned it around on 9 and it kept going from there.
Q. I was going to ask where did he say that.
LILIA VU: I hit a beautiful drive on 7 but I hit the tree on the way down and I thought I smoked it. Would've been easily -- I could have gone for the green easily. Then that led to me chunking my next shot and then I chunked my approach shot.
Luckily made par. Thankfully. Then we just restarted on nine. Yeah.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports