Lilia Vu

Defending Champions are rarely as calm as Lilia Vu.

After her triumph at Walton Heath last year, Vu was asked how she might feel defending her title at St Andrews.

She responded: “I am so excited. I've been talking about it all week. I think I'm going to cry when I cross the bridge on 18.”

The reality so far this week has been a little different. Rather than feeling the emotions on her first trip to the Old Course, Vu embraced her inner tourist.

“I played here for the first time on Monday,” said Vu.

“It was definitely surreal. I got to play with Nelly (Korda) and two other players, so that was super cool too.

“We took pictures at the bridge yesterday and again today.

“You just don't ever get over that feeling of other past players being there and so much golf has been played here.

“It's a surreal feeling and I'm trying to soak it all in, while at the same time being focused on playing the tournament.”

Vu ultimately cruised to victory last year, winning by six strokes from Charley Hull, but history is against her this time round.

Yani Tseng was the last player to win back-to-back AIG Women’s Opens, triumphing at Royal Birkdale in 2010 and Carnoustie in 2011, and she remains the only player to have done so since the Championship became a major in 2001.

Vu, who was unable to defend her Chevron Championship title earlier this year due to a back injury, is not feeling the weight of history.

“Every single time people think they’re defending something, it feels like you have something to lose,” she said.

“But when you start afresh at the beginning of the tournament, you haven't won the tournament yet. So I think I'm going to stick to that kind of mindset.”

As well as becoming world number one last year following her success in Surrey – a title which Nelly Korda has subsequently reclaimed from her – Vu was gifted a cat by her father and named him Walton after the scene of her triumph.

There is an agreement between the pair that she can adopt another feline friend when she wins her next major, but her preparations for this week’s Championship have been beset by illness resulting from the Olympics and she admits she struggled with her mindset while playing at Le Golf National.

“I feel like I always fall back in my old ways and feel like I don't know how I won tournaments before,” she said.

“I think I felt that at the Olympics a little bit this year, just was not playing well and just felt like, how did I get here and earn this spot, almost. But I'm trying my best out here.

“I was sick all last week. It was kind of hard to recover with this cold and rain, but I love it here.”

If there was ever a venue to spark a golfer into life, then St Andrews is surely that place.

“This is where everyone wants to play – it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” Vu added.

“There's a little bit of pressure, but I think I know it's going to be a battle for everyone, not just me.

“So I'm going to try my hardest, do my best out here.”