New York (AFP) – France’s Celine Boutier sank a 35-foot birdie putt at the 14th hole to seize the lead for good on Sunday in winning the 54-hole LPGA ShopRite tournament. The 32-year-old from suburban Paris captured her seventh career LPGA title and first since the 2023 Maybank Championship in Malaysia.
“To win today it’s something very special,” Boutier said. “It’s a tournament that’s very special for me so very excited to be able to have another win here.” Boutier fired a five-under-par 66 in the final round to finish on nine-under 204 at Seaview Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey. That was good enough for a one-stroke victory over Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, with Ireland’s Lauren Walsh on 206 and Germany’s Polly Mack, Japan’s Chizzy Iwai, and South Koreans Lee So-mi and Joo Soo-bin on 207.
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Boutier’s win came on a golden weekend for French sport, with Paris Saint-Germain retaining their UEFA Champions League crown and Victor Wembanyama leading the San Antonio Spurs over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and into the NBA Finals. Boutier, who rallied from four strokes down when the day began, had also fought back on the final day to win the 2021 ShopRite crown.
“It’s always good to be back,” Boutier said. “I definitely have some good memories.” Boutier, whose only major title came at the 2023 Evian Championship, took her most recent prior victory at a 2024 Ladies European Tour event at Shenzen, China.
“I played solid the past two years even though I didn’t get a win. They were good seasons even though there weren’t wins. It was a bit frustrating,” Boutier said. “This season I started off slow. I feel like my game has turned around the last few weeks. I could see it coming together. I definitely did not see it coming together this week and today, but I’m very excited to be back in the winner’s circle.”
Joo, who had squandered a four-stroke lead when the day began, sank a five-foot birdie putt at the ninth to match Boutier for the lead. Boutier responded with a 35-foot birdie putt at 14 to reclaim the solo lead at nine-under, where she would remain to seal victory.
Boutier will play in next week’s US Women’s Open at Riviera and pondered what a win would mean. “It would be iconic,” Boutier said. “I think it’s going to be a very different setup than this week so I’m really looking forward to getting there and seeing the course.”
World number 252 Joo, 22, missed a chance for her first LPGA title. “It was so fun,” Joo said. “I had my first time leading the tournament. I did my best out there as much as I can. I prepared well and I’m proud of myself.”
© 2024 AFP
