Cool Boutier wins #VicOpen for France
Celine Boutier was the number one amateur in the world, the denouement of which was waiting to unfold. On the 13th beach, the French promised the promise with the first LPGA Tour victory of her career.
She did it in style on a gentler last day on the left, the chance presented when overnight chief Kim Kaufman of the United States, fell away, fell heavily.
Boutier started two shots from the lead but soon had the reign, after Kaufman & # 39; s three wood second of the par-five fifth behind the green and skated under a small tree. The American took double bogey and was on his way to a 78 who left behind her tied eighth and regretted the way she ended.
As for the 24-year-old Boutier, she put together a stable, equivalent 72 that was sufficient for a victory of two shots.
The women struggled with the course set-up on the last day, made as it was, so it was hard enough for the men. In the latter group neither van Boutier, Kaufman nor Su Oh of Australia could fall under
But Sarah Kemp broke the mold, the Australian started early and despite a double bogey in the first carding a 65 that put her in the clubhouse six-downs. Kemp went back to her local excavations and waited; it was the knockout Australian that Boutier had to win. There was only a shot when Boutier passed the clubhouse on the 15th.
The French is known for his front-running. In the short, par-quarters 15th she hit a problem chip for the green that left her with a 10 meter long birdie-putt and her lead was only a shot. But the putt hammered in the back of the cup. Although she had three holes to play, it was a close-out moment.
"I feel like I've been struggling a bit with my long game all day and I just did not have the many birdie opportunities," she said later. "When I was 15 when I made that putt, I really motivated myself and made myself more certain of my possibilities to win the tournament."
Boutier, a Parisien whose parents are Thai, set up the parachute. Two shots in the run, they parred in including a tester on the par-three 17th.
"I've heard so much about this event from the girls who played in it and I was super excited to come this year," she said. "It exceeded all my expectations, the courses were great, the people were great, the volunteers, the organization." Frankly, just a very good tournament. "
Kemp, Su Oh (74 today) and English Charlotte Thomas took second place at six-time
Of that it was Oh who might have had the best chance of everything. The Melburnian has had a series of top-10 finishes in the Vic Open without winning, and this was another. Her bad start – four falling photos in the first four holes – made it difficult for her.
As far as Boutier is concerned, it was all new but in some way familiar. "Champagne, I assume, & # 39; she said.