Defending champion Lilia Vu withdraws from 2024 Chevron Championship with injury

Lilia Vu during practice for the The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on April 17, 2024 in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Lilia Vu’s title defense of the Chevron Championship was over before it began. The world No. 2 had a nagging back injury flare up during warm-ups at the Club at Carlton Woods and withdrew from the event before her 1:10 p.m. CDT tee time, according to an LPGA official. Vu is expected to release a statement later in the afternoon.

Earlier this season, Vu withdrew from two events during the Asian swing. The former UCLA standout said during a pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday at the Chevron that she was 95 percent recovered.

Apparently things turned for the worse quickly.

“It’s been a rough couple months battling with my injury,” Vu said on Tuesday. “It’s been a little scary. I’ve definitely cried a lot on the range sometimes because my back just couldn’t hold up.”

Chevron: Photos

Lilia Vu has withdrawn from The Chevron Championship before the first round. @LPGA

— LPGA Media (@LPGAMedia) April 18, 2024

Vu won four times on the LPGA last season, including two major championships, and was the tour’s Player of the Year.

She was asked earlier in the week what she thought about during the time she spent in the scoring area last year at The Club of Carlton Woods, waiting to see about a playoff.

“I think it was cold, and I was a little worried about my back,” she recalled. “It was actually really clutch last year. My physio was actually out of here on her way to Dallas, and I think after 30 minutes on her drive there she turned around and came back and had enough time to help me on the range and get ready for the playoff.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Defending champion Lilia Vu withdraws from 2024 Chevron Championship with injury