Golf: Frenchwoman Céline Boutier wins the Evian Championship, her first major

In the lead since the second round, the French Céline Boutier only increased her lead during the last two days of the LPGA tournament in Evian to offer herself a first Grand Slam title filled with serenity on Sunday, becoming the third French to achieve such performance. Before her, only Catherine Lacoste in 1967 and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc in 2003 had won one of the five major tournaments on the women’s circuit. A rare performance, which places her among the serious contenders one year before the Paris Olympics next summer.

A bad memory of 2019 to forget

In 2019, Céline Boutier was in a good position to win the US Open, but the native of Montrouge had collapsed on the final day. Co-leader after the third round, she finally finished fifth, three strokes from the title. “It was very difficult to digest, but if there is something that I learned from the US Open, it is that it is really played until the last hole”, she underlined on Saturday at the Canal+ microphone. On the shores of Lake Geneva, the Frenchwoman did not miss her chance a second time. Very diligent in front of an audience committed to her cause, Céline Boutier continued her momentum from the day before, making three birdies on the first five holes on Sunday.

Ideally placed 18 holes from the end with three strokes ahead of the Japanese Nasa Hataoka, the 15th player in the world increased her lead to five strokes over the second, the Canadian Brooke Henderson, halfway through. Despite windy conditions, the 29-year-old golfer then calmly managed the comeback to finish with a card of 68 (-3 under par) and win six strokes ahead of Brooke Henderson, titled in 2022 on the course. Savoyard, who became a Major on the women’s circuit in 2013. An unprecedented performance for the French N.1, whose best result in Evian was 29th place and who had not passed the second round last year.

Best French golfer

In March, Céline Boutier had already marked the history of French golf becoming, after her victory at the Drive On Championship in Arizona, the most successful Frenchwoman on the circuit ahead of Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Anne-Marie Palli, with three titles. “It’s weird to be part of the history of French golf, but I try not to think too much about the scale of things, because it tends to stress me a little more,” she explained. to AFP in September 2022, a few days after becoming the highest ranked French golfer in history, rising to 14th in the world.

Turning professional in 2016 after being world N.1 amateur in 2014, Céline Boutier was also part of the European team that won the Solheim Cup twice in 2019 and 2021. With this first major success acquired at home on Sunday, the Frenchwoman marks points and gaining confidence a year away from the Olympic Games golf event. “I’ve had the chance to play at the National Golf quite a few times, I know a little about what to expect and I’ll prepare myself in due time,” she said in 2022, about the course where the competitions will take place. Olympic events in 2024.

34th at the Tokyo Games, Céline Boutier is well positioned to continue writing the history of French golf on the greens of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in 2024.