Lilia Vu scored her first LPGA Tour victory of the season after defeating Lexi Thompson and Grace Kim in a play-off at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Vu recovered an eight-shot deficit on a thrilling final day at Blythefield Country Club, carding a bogey-free 65 to finish on 16 under with Kim – who lost a five-shot overnight lead – and Thompson.

The trio all birdied the par-five 18th in both the first two extra play-off holes, before Vu carded a winning birdie at the third extra play-off hole – as Thompson and Kim could only make par – to clinch her fifth LPGA Tour victory and first of the year.

Vu’s comeback was one shot larger than last week’s seven-shot deficit overturned by Linnea Strom of Sweden at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, with four birdies over the final six holes helping her post the low round of the day.

Thompson birdied the 18th to shoot a four-under 68 and equal Vu, while Kim made one birdie and eight pars during the back nine of her final-round 73 and failed to hold on to her huge overnight advantage.

Vu won four times in 2023 and will be among the favourites for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, live on Sky Sports, having missed last month’s US Women’s Open while nursing a back issue.

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Highlights from the last round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath, where Lilia Vu captured her second major victory of the season.

“It’s hard to feel 100 per cent, but I think I’ve been 95 per cent and I think, obviously, I played more than 18 holes today, so kind of feeling a little tight,” Vu said. “It’s all good. It’s not the same as previously.”

Thompson, the 11-time LPGA Tour winner who announced last month that she will retire from full-time play at the conclusion of the season, came up just short of snapping her five-year title drought.

“Knowing I was five shots behind starting the day, I knew I had to have the pedal down and make a lot of birdies from the jump,” Thompson said. “I can only control what I can control, so I just tried to focus one shot at a time and play inside myself and my emotions. That’s all I could do. Whatever occurs with the result happened, so satisfied with the result.”

Ally Ewing had a stretch of four straight birdies on her front nine and momentarily touched 17 under for the tournament, but a bogey-bogey-birdie finish left her in fourth spot. Allisen Corpuz and South Korea’s Narin An both carded final-round 70s to share sixth.

What’s next?

The women’s major season resumes in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, held at Sahalee Country Club in Washington and all four rounds live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 9pm via the red button and 11pm on Sky Sports Golf.