THE MODERATOR: All right, hello everyone, welcome to the 2024 Maybank Championship. I'm joined by Lilia Vu, highest ranked player in the Rolex Rankings in the field this week.
We were just talking on the way up but this is your first time competing at the Maybank Championship. Probably practiced yesterday and played in the pro-am today. What are your thoughts on the event and the course so far?
LILIA VU: Yeah, Maybank does a great job with supporting our Tour. I think it's going to be really fun. The course is great. I'm excited for it.
Yeah, can't wait to see all the fans. I heard that there is a huge turnout, and it will be fun.
Q. And after playing today, what have you noticed about this course, especially being the first time here? Anything that stuck out to you maybe about the greens? Fairways? Anything like that?
LILIA VU: I think the most important part for me is going to be off the tee. Kind of want to be smart about where you want to place yourself, and then you can basically go from there in.
Q. Is that something you've been working on in your game as well?
LILIA VU: Yeah, absolutely. It's always been like if you get yourself in the right position off the tee you can go ahead and try and make birdies.
Q. You've had a great year. You won at the Meijer LPGA Classic. Had a couple runner-up finishes. How would you describe your year up to this point from your perspective?
LILIA VU: I think I've done well within the circumstances. I know my back injury definitely took a toll on my strength. I think that's something that I can't really gain mid-season, so I'm looking forward to the off-season for that.
But I'm just playing with what I can. I know my game right now is good enough to be out here so I'm just going to try my best and trust the team around me.
Q. And you said about the off-season. Last year you had a great last stretch heading in. I think top 10 last three finishes. Is that something that motivates you maybe a little bit, too, looking to the end of the season and finishing strong?
LILIA VU: Yeah, absolutely. The last two events I love those courses. I think it's funny, too, because I didn't think that I played well in bermuda, but I didn't know it was bermuda. I don't know my grass.
But turned on the to be really good. Finished really well at CME. Hopefully I can finish strong again this year.
Q. In a couple weeks you'll go defend your fourth title from last year. What's it been like reliving all the victories you had?
LILIA VU: I think it's just so fun to look back on those. I think just I also had a little bit of a back problem last year but came back from it pretty quickly, so I know that I'm resilient, and I'm looking forward to the future and know that if I just enjoy myself out there anything is possible.
Q. Just how proud are you, too, of how you handled the back injury so far this year?
LILIA VU: Yeah, I mean, it's been a lot. I think just also with comparing myself a little bit to last year is how well I've done. I did have a little bit of a hiccup with my back injury but it wasn't defining my year.
I feel like this year I've kind of hit a plateau and there is not much that I can do right now mid-season like said before. So I'm just doing what I can.
I had a great year last year. Not every year is going to be like that. At least I feel like at every tournament I show up I do have a chance to win.
Q. Just want to ask you how has your experience been like in Malaysia? Any memorable moments so far that you've had?
LILIA VU: Yeah, it's been I think it's my second day here. I think it's super fun. It's similar to Singapore and I think later today I'm going to go shopping with my mom. She's already been out and about.
Hopefully I can do more of that. Yeah, last night we had the pro-am party. It was super fun, too. So I've been enjoying Malaysia so far.
Q. I'm quite marveled with the way you've handled everything. Can I just ask how important do you think the support from your team is throughout your season?
LILIA VU: Oh, it's huge. I mean, I'm a bit of a perfectionist in a way and I just always want to show up to a tournament very strong.
I kind of have to, not brainwash myself, but tell myself where I want to be, that's an off-season thing. I know that I have the best people around me and they're going to help me get to where I want to be.
Q. Just a question about over the last few years the LPGA Tour has gotten more and more international, especially with now the Thai players coming up and joining the Koreans and Japanese. What are your thoughts on this?
LILIA VU: I think it's great for our Tour. The fact that it's so competitive makes everybody better. If someone is just constantly kind of just winning all the time, I think with Lydia and Nelly, everyone is super good, anyone can win any event. It's not just one person.
I think that kind of pushes forward the strength of our women's golf.
Q. Just recently there have been more Thai players coming on Tour. Perhaps could you maybe give us a little insight into what you think makes the Thai players so competitive.
LILIA VU: I'm not Thai so I can't really say outright what's going on. They've all been playing really well. I think all of them are always in contention. I mean, is a lot of them are good friends of mine so I'm really happy to see all of them playing really well.
Q. You mentioned a little bit about the course. If you did, I didn't quite catch it. Maybe just share with us what you make of the course. I understand it's your first time being here.
LILIA VU: Yeah.
Q. And the other thing is, on another thing -- maybe just share that with us.
LILIA VU: Yeah, I think this is no easy course by any means. It's pretty demanding off the tees. There is kind of water a lot around here off the tees, so kind of have to be diligent and kind of know where the wind is, where you want to place yourself.
It's also kind of hilly, so you also have to play with different lies in the fairways and different tiers. I think this golf course is going to test the best of your game.
Q. I didn't check all the details, but are you involved in anyway with the tournament at the end of the season, the men's and the women's? Are you involved in that.
LILIA VU: Yes, I will be.
Q. That's what I thought. That's what I wanted to ask you.
LILIA VU: Yeah.
Q. So it's nice when the Tours get together. When you play like mixed like that.
LILIA VU: Yes.
Q. There has also been talk quite recently, and I'm almost sure you know about this, so if you want to share with us, the LIV and the PGA TOUR, they're moving towards coming together. What is your take on that?
LILIA VU: You know, I actually haven't thought too much about PGA TOUR or LIV Golf. I feel like I've just been pretty focused on LPGA Tour and doing what we can for our fans and growing women's golf.
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