American Lilia Vu cruises to Women's British Open victory for 2nd major title of year

American golfer Lilia Vu won the Women's British Open to claim her second major title of 2023, taking any potential drama out of the final round by shooting 5-under 67 for a six-stroke victory on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Californian, who also won the Chevron Championship in April, became the first female player to win two majors in the same year since Jin Young Ko in 2019, and the first American woman since Juli Inkster in 1999.

Three of the five women's majors have been won by American this year — Allisen Corpuz won the Women's U.S. Open title at Pebble Beach — and that's not happened since 2014.

Hull holed out from a greenside bunker for eagle at the par-5 11th to trim the lead to three shots, but Vu responded with a tap-in birdie at No. 12 and was never threatened down the stretch.

Vu walked down No. 18 leading by five and was already smiling before her long, snaking birdie putt dropped into the cup. Soon, she was being drenched in champagne by fellow players.

WATCH l Lilia Vu wins Women's Open by six strokes:

Vu finished on 14-under 274 for the tournament.

Hull, passionately backed at a course near to where she grew up, shot 73 and was runner-up for the second time in the last three majors.

The win completed a stunning breakthrough season for Vu, whose three LPGA Tour titles have come in 2023 — two of them being majors. On Monday, she'll be the world No. 1 for the first time.

Her only bogey came at the par-5 No. 15 when she drove into the heather — the biggest hazard at this heathland course southwest of London — for the only time in the round and then found a bunker with her third shot.

Hull couldn't keep the pressure on, buckling with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17 — the latter after a protester walked onto the green