Lilia Vu putting blinders on at KPMG Women's PGA Championship | Golf Central | Golf Channel

BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING. >> WITH THAT, WE ARE SO PLEASED TO WELCOME LILIA VU TO OUR GOLF CENTRAL SET. LILIA, IN THAT SOUND YOU WERE VERY OPEN AND HONEST AND VULNERABLE ABOUT WHAT THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN LIKE WITH THE BACK INJURY. CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT INTO WHAT THIS RECOVERY PROCESS HAS BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO GET BACK TO A POINT WHERE YOU'RE WINNING YOUR FIRST START BACK ON THE LPGA TOUR? >> ABSOLUTELY. I WAS DEFINITELY REALLY GUTTED TO NOT BE ABLE TO DEFEND MY TITLE AT CHEVRON THIS YEAR AND ALSO MISSED THE U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN AT LANCASTER. BUT IT WAS A GOOD TIME OFF, TWO MONTHS OFF, TO REGAIN WHAT I NEEDED TO REGAIN WITH MY TEAM. WE RE-EVALUATED THE STABILITY WORK I NEEDED AND TOOK THAT TIME TO LET MY BODY RECOVER FROM MY BACK INJURY. IT WAS REALLY PAINFUL TO NOT BE ABLE TO COMPETE ON TOUR, BUT IT WAS NECESSARY, AND I FELT LIKE MEIJER WAS THE RIGHT TOURNAMENT TO START BACK UP AGAIN. >> WHAT'S BEEN THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM SINCE THEN? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO WEEK-TO-WEEK? ARE WE IN THE CLEAR? >> I CHANGED UP MY WARM-UP ROUTINE A BIT, IT'S MORE FULL BODY STUFF INSTEAD OF ISOLATION MOVEMENTS. AND IT'S EVEN THE WAY I SIT, THE WAY I WALK IS DIFFERENT NOW. I HAVE TO INCORPORATE BREATHING. WHEN YOU'RE TENSE AND NERVOUS, YOU KIND OF HOLD YOUR BREATH. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE SUPERFICIAL STUFF, BUT IT WAS THE NECESSARY STUFF. WHEN YOU'RE GOOD, YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT. >> AFTER TAKING THAT MANY MONTHS OFF OF COMPETITIVE GOLF, YOU WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME COMPETITIVE RUST, JUST NOT HAVING PICKED UP THE CLUB. THE REST OF THE TOUR IS PLAYING IN THE HEART OF THE SEASON. BUT YOU SHOWED NONE OF THAT. HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT, GOING FROM NOT PLAYING FOR TWO MONTHS AND SHOWING UP SO FRESH? >> I'LL BE HONEST, I SET MY BAR REALLY LOW LAST WEEK. I KNEW MY GAME WAS A LITTLE RUSTY, BUT KIND OF GAVE MYSELF GRACE IN TRYING NOT TO BE TOO HARD ON MYSELF. I THINK I MADE IT REALLY EASY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BALL AND SLOWLY IT GOT BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY. BY SUNDAY, I WAS FEELING GOOD, AND I THINK ON 16 THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY CLICKED, I SAW THE LEADERBOARD, I WASN'T TOO FAR FROM THE LEAD. SO I JUST TRIED TO BIRDIE OUT. I BIRDIED 16 AND 18. AND I HONESTLY THOUGHT I WOULDN'T GET MYSELF IN A POSITION FOR A PLAYOFF, BUT WAS GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY. >> YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, BEWARE OF THE INJURED GOLFER. WAS THIS A SURPRISE TO YOU WHEN THIS INJURY OCCURRED? >> THIS INJURY, LAST YEAR, I HAD A BIT OF IT. IT WASN'T TOO SEVERE, I GOT OVER IT AND NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT. THIS CAME EARLY IN THE SEASON SO I WAS BUMMED TO MISS A BUNCH OF EVENTS. BUT IT'S NOTHING TOO SEVERE. >> HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AROUND SAHALEE? WHAT'S BEEN YOUR IMPRESSION OF PLAYING THIS GOLF COURSE SO FAR? >> I PLAYED NINE THIS MORNING. IT'S VERY DEMANDING OFF THE TEE AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHAPE YOUR SHOTS BOTH WAYS. I THINK IT WILL BE FUN THIS WEEK FOR ALL OF US. >> I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED, YOU HAD AN AMAZING CAREER AND THEN YOU COME OUT ON TOUR AND PAIGE AND I KNOW THAT BEING A PROFESSIONAL GOLFER, THE TRANSITION. YOU HAD TO GO BACK TO THE EPSON TOUR AND BUILD YOUR WAY FROM THERE. TAKING THOSE STEPS, HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOU? >> I THINK I'M GLAD I STRUGGLED BY ROOKIE YEAR ON LPGA. I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO TAKE TIME TO GROW AS A PERSON, A GOLFER, AND THOSE TWO, THREE YEARS DID THAT. I LEARNED HOW TO WIN AGAIN AT A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL AND THEN JUST KEPT GOING FROM THERE. I GAINED A LOT OF CONFIDENCE FROM IT. YOU HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT ON EPSON TOUR. YOU CAN'T JUST TRY TO WIN ONE TOURNAMENT AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR CARD. IT'S REALLY COMPETITIVE, WEEK TO WEEK. YOU HAVE TO BE ON TOP OF YOUR GAME THE ENTIRE SEASON. >> SPEAKING OF HAVING SUPPORT, YOUR GRANT THORNTON INVITATIONAL PARTNER, JOEL DAHMEN, HAS BEEN TWEETING UP A STORM ABOUT SUPPORTING YOU. HOW NICE IS IT TO HAVE SUPPORT LIKE THAT? >> I LOVE JOEL, HIM AND GINA ARE THE BEST TEAM ON EARTH. WE HAVE A LITTLE GROUP CHAT GOING. I TEXTED HIM A PHOTO ON SUNDAY NIGHT OF MY CHAMPION DINNER, A CRUNCH WRAP FROM TACO BELL. IT'S ALL FUN. >> YOU PLAYED COLLEGE GOLF AT UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO GET TIPS ON SAHALEE? >> NO, BUT THERE'S A TACO BELL CLOSE BY. >> LAST WEEK I FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING, WE WERE SITTING ON THE DESK WITH FORMER NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD, MARTIN KAYMER, THAT DISCUSSED THAT HE, DURING THAT TIME WHEN HE WAS THE TOP OF THE GAME, WAS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SPOTLIGHT. HE DID NOT LIKE THE ATTENTION. NOW WE SEE BRYSON, WHO ABSOLUTELY THRIVES IN THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU'RE NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN THE WORLD DURING YOUR CAREER, AND AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME RIGHT NOW. WHERE DO YOU FIT IN THAT SPECTRUM OF ENJOYING BEING AT THE TOP OF THE GAME? >> I THINK WHEN YOU'RE NUMBER ONE, YOU KIND OF HAVE A TARGET ON YOUR BACK, AND I FELT THAT A LITTLE BIT. BUT I'M KIND OF DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE WHERE I DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT OTHER PLAYERS. I COME INTO TOURNAMENTS JUST TRYING TO BEAT THE GOLF COURSE. IF I DO IT FOUR ROUNDS IN A ROW, I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE. BUT I DID FALL MORE TOWARD THE MARTIN KAYMER MIND-SET. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK I JUST IDENTIFY WITH IT. BUT I'M TRYING MY BEST, I'M TRYING TO ADAPT TO ALL OF IT. >> SPEAKING OF YOUR SUCCESS LAST YEAR, THE FOUR WINS, TWO BEING MAJORS. IS THAT PRESSURE INTERNALLY ON YOURSELF TO TRY TO REPEAT A PERFORMANCE LIKE THAT THIS YEAR OR ANY SEASON FOLLOWING? >> I DON'T THINK PRESSURE, NECESSARILY. I THINK THAT'S JUST TOO HARD. IT WAS A PHENOMENAL YEAR LAST YEAR, AND I JUST KNOW THAT I'M GOOD ENOUGH. AND HOPEFULLY WHATEVER TOURNAMENT I PLAY WELL AT, I'LL PLAY WELL AT. >> LILIA, I KNOW YOU'RE A BIG SWIFTIE. TAYLOR SWIFT'S LYRICS HAVE BEEN A BIG PART OF THE RECOVERY PROCESS FOR YOU. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? WHAT'S YOUR TAYLOR MANTRA GETTING YOU BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS? >> THANK YOU FOR ASKING. MY FAVORITE HAS BEEN "CHANGE" AND I FEEL LIKE I IDENTIFY WITH ALL THE LYRICS, SO IT'S BEEN THAT SONG. >> IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE LOOKING AT AND ANYONE WATCHING AS WELL. WHEN YOU ATTACK A GOLF COURSE LIKE SAHALEE, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT USUAL THAT WE SEE ON THE LPGA TOUR, SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT PARTICULARLY FAMILIAR WITH, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT WRAPPING YOUR ARMS AROUND SUCH A BIG TEST AND GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH GOING OUT AND COMPETING IN A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP? >> I THINK THE BEST WAY I PLAY GOLF, WHEN I TAKE IT ONE SHOT AT A TIME. I THINK I SCARE MYSELF WHEN I GET AHEAD OF MYSELF THINKING OF THE HOLES TO COME. SO I TRY TO PUT BLINDERS ON AND GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, AND THAT'S WHEN I PLAY MY BEST GOLF. >> I ASKED HANNAH GREEN EARLIER BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS, HOW OFTEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE TAKING DRIVER? IT'S VISUALLY VERY INTIMIDATING. >> I LOVE MY DRIVER, SO HOPEFULLY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT I'LL TAKE MY MEDICINE AND USE MY 3 WOOD EVENTUALLY. >> NOT ONLY IS THIS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR, BUT IT'S ALSO A REALLY BIG TOURNAMENT FOR THE OLYMPIC STANDINGS. YOU'RE WELL SAFELY INSIDE. GROWING UP, WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT THE OLYMPICS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE AN OLYMPIAN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? >> OH, IT MEANS THE WORLD. WE GREW UP WATCHING THE OLYMPICS, AND FOR GOLF TO FINALLY BE A PART OF THAT, NOT ONLY THAT, THEN REPRESENT USA, THAT'S A HUGE HONOR. AND I HOPE I'M ABLE TO DO THAT. >> SO, LILIA, YOU, OF COURSE, HAVE PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE THE WORLD NUMBER ONE, THE CURRENT NUMBER ONE, NELLY KORDA, IS OUT ON THE RANGE RIGHT NOW. AND YOU HAVE HAD TO SIT BACK THE LAST TWO MONTHS AND KIND OF SEE WHAT IT IS THAT SHE'S ACCOMPLISHED IN THE GAME. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF, AS WE SEE HER RIGHT THERE, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF WHAT NELLY HAS BEEN DOING THE LAST FEW MONTHS? >> SHE'S SO IMPRESSIVE, THE BACK-TO-BACK TOURNAMENTS. SHE'S MAKING HISTORY, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO INSPIRING TO ME SHE'S ABLE TO GO SO MANY WEEKS IN A ROW PLAYING WELL. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US CAN SAY. SHE'S A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE AND I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR HER. >> WHAT IS IT -- AND AFTER A WIN, FOR EXAMPLE, WINNING LAST WEEK, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, TO KIND OF THEN GET BACK AND READY TO PLAY FOR THURSDAY? >> I THINK YOU'VE JUST GOT TO TAKE IT DAY BY DAY. WHAT'S MY GOAL TODAY? GO OUT THERE AND SEE THE COURSE. THE NEXT DAY, OKAY, LET'S MOVE MY GAME TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION. TRUST THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD TEAM. THEY'RE THERE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER. >> WHO IS ON YOUR TEAM? >> THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON MY TEAM. I APPRECIATE IT AND I HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE AROUND ME. >> YOU WERE JOKING ABOUT YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP DINNER BEING TACO BELL. ARE YOU ABLE TO EVER REALLY JUST KIND OF SIT BACK AND ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, EVEN JUST HAVING WON ON SUNDAY, IS IT IMMEDIATELY ON TO THE NEXT? >> I THINK COMING FROM THIS PAST WEEKEND, I WAS JUST WORKING ON TRAVEL PLANS TO GET HERE, KIND OF MISSED MY FLIGHT ON SUNDAY NIGHT. WE DROVE TO DETROIT AND THEN HAD A REALLY EARLY FLIGHT OUT THE NEXT MORNING. SO DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO CELEBRATE. BUT WE WILL DURING THE OFF WEEK. >> I KNOW YOU HAD TACO BELL AFTER THIS WIN, BUT FOR THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP, THEY HOST A REALLY NICE CHAMPIONS DINNER AND THOMAS KELLER IS CATERING THERE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW LOVELY THAT WAS. YOU'VE GOT ALL THE SPECTRUMS COVERED IN TERMS O