Recapping Round 1 at Evian — Celine Boutier talks Evian title defense
By Addie Parker
The IX: Golf Thursday with Addie Parker, July 11, 2024
Welcome back to Golf Thursday! The fourth major of the season is underway in Évian-les-Bains and things are happening.
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Evian really said, “You get a car, you get a car, and you get a car!”
But seriously, day one has had no shortage of excitement, or birdies for that matter, with clubhouse leaders Gemma Dryburgh, Ingrid Lindblad, and Patty Tavatanakit all sitting at 7-under.
Lindblad, the former LSU standout, is stepping into her professional career and doing so in style. After a missed cut at the USWO, this is a huge step in the right direction.
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Defending champ, Celine Boutier is within striking distance, climbing her way up the leaderboard, with five birdies on her card for the day.
There are some unusual suspects on top of the leaderboard as round one comes to a conclusion, but fan favorites like Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, and Brooke Henderson are hanging around and you can never really count anyone out.
Nestled in between the French and Swiss Alps, the Evian Resort has become one of my favorite tour destinations. It’s not just about the views; the week’s pageantry is next level, and players are almost always more than enthusiastic about competing abroad (who wouldn’t want a Euro summer?)
Major weeks always feel a bit more glamorous, but Evian is next level. We have another incredible weekend of championship golf ahead of us.
Cheers, friends!
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This week in women’s golf
If you have links you wish to share for Golf Thursday, sources for golf news, or want to talk about anything at all, you can email me at addieparker25@theixsports.com ! Discussion of any kind is always welcome…I mean it…MESSAGE ME!
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Epson Tour News
Brooke Matthews in top form heading into the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship
Jenny Bae set to defend back-to-back events starting in Milford
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Five at The IX: Defending champ Celine Boutier reflects on last year’s win at Evian
Q. In general when you think about last year’s competition, what are some of the memories or highlights that stick out to you the most?
CELINE BOUTIER: My favorite memory is probably the closing ceremony and the prize giving ceremony on 18, being able to hold the trophy. It was actually my first time actually holding it. It was a lot heavier than I expected but it was good.
Having the National Anthem, everybody cheering, it was definitely emotional and exceeded all my expectations.
Q. Now to be coming into this championship as yet another Olympian. You just at Golf National we know. What does it mean going into this major knowing that’s on the horizon for you?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I think it’s going to be a very similar week in terms of being able to play such a big tournament at home. I think very different courses. But I think I’m just trying to focus on the challenge that I have at hand, which is a big challenge this week.
So just trying to focus on that and then I’ll be able to move on and focus on the Olympics.
Q. Celine, when you think back to that moment on the 18th green, how powerful was that just to walk up, hear your name shouted, have the flag drop down, and everybody singing the National Anthem? Speak to the power of that moment and what it meant to your career at that point?
CELINE BOUTIER: It definitely changed my career. I feel like at that point I had won maybe twice or three time on tour, nothing really big.
Obviously was wanting to win a major for quite sometime, but the fact that this happened here was just beyond anything I could have expected.
Just watching the tournament growing up obviously you imagine yourself winning it, you know how great it would be.
Honestly just exceeded any expectations I had. Like they described, it was just so powerful just having everybody just cheering for you and being so happy for you. Being able to share that with so many people was something I didn’t expect.
When I look back to the video that they played on the 18th green yesterday, I just had to hold back my tears. Still so emotional.
Q. We have another special event happening in a few weeks you get to be a part of now. What has that meant to you to represent France not only globally on the LPGA Tour, but at the Olympics and how excited are you to do it at home?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it’s hard to describe. Definitely always an honor to represent your country. I think I try to represent week in and week out on the tour, but it’s something different when you have the flag on your shirt and hat.
Almost feels like a team event because you feel like all the athletes are part of a team together and you’re representing the whole country.
So it’s something very special. Something I cherished a lot as an amateur. So having that opportunity again as a professional is very rare and don’t take for granted.
Very excited to also showcase the French golf course, French players, and just the city in general for the Olympics. Hope everybody will be a great time.
Q. Celine, you mentioned some of this. We were talking about how special and unique this event is being the only major outside of United States and Great Britain and Ireland, no? Growing up what are your memories of this event and of course how big it was for you to win last year?
CELINE BOUTIER: I remember watching it when it wasn’t a major. When I was growing up it was the Evian Masters in July and I would always watch it on TV. We had French National Championships at the same time so I was never able to do in the summer because we had tournaments. But I would always watch it. I just loved it because of the pink mostly. (Smiling.)
And then just having the best players. Just used to idolize Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie, and Paula won here when I was still a teenager.
So just really made me dream. It was just my goal one day I just want to be there. I was lucky enough to have an invite in 2014 as an amateur. That was my first time actually sitting foot in Evian, and I was just taken aback by the beauty of the environment and the golf course, and also how hot it was.
Definitely took me a few years to actually feel comfortable on this golf course. It’s hard to — even TV doesn’t do justice how tough this course is. It’s very difficult from tee-to-green. So you have to be really accurate and very good to be able to score and perform.
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