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Céline Boutier, Returning to Conquered Territory

July 02, 2024 | R. Forgues

COMPETITION

For the first time in her career, Céline Boutier will start a Major as the defending champion. This prestigious and flattering title is far from comfortable given the stakes it represents. At Évian and elsewhere, being labeled a favorite even before teeing off at the 1st hole adds a special flavor to the first round. This is the challenge that the greatest champions of women's golf have faced, and today, Céline Boutier is among them. Before representing France at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she is ready to fight for the blue-white-red flag in front of her home crowd this week. The Amundi Evian Championship 2024 is the first act of Boutier's mission on home soil. With adrenaline at its peak, the task won't be easy, but nothing seems to scare the world's 6th-ranked player anymore.

We last saw her in tears of joy. On Sunday, July 30, 2023, it was clear that nothing could stop her. With a final scorecard of 68 (-3), she wrote the most beautiful line of her record by winning the flagship Major for French female golfers by six strokes. This victory, her second of the 2023 season, crystallized all the discipline and rigor that have always characterized her. A success that would become the crowning achievement of the best year of her career, marked by eight top-10 finishes, including four trophies on the LPGA Tour. Indeed, after pocketing The Amundi Evian Championship, the former Paris Country Club player continued her winning streak. She won the Women's Scottish Open the following week, triumphed at the Maybank Championship at the end of October, and finished her 2023 year ranked third in the world (behind Lilia Vu and Ruoning Yin).

With the record-breaking season behind her, it was time to face the challenges of 2024. Key among them were defending her title at Évian and competing in the Olympic Games at home. The first weeks of the year were promising, with Boutier securing three top-16 finishes in four events, including a remarkable second place at the HSBC Women's World Championship. She then competed in eight tournaments on the LPGA Tour, with her sole top-20 finish at the JM Eagle LA Championship in late April (13th place) reflecting a fluctuating form. As in all individual sports, the game's ups and downs and the competition's elite consistently confront players with their own reality. That said, to test Boutier's resilience, one must rise early.

At the recent KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the Clamart native showed a better profile. The Sahalee Country Club (Sammamish, USA) hosted the third leg of the women's golf Grand Slam. On this course, the world's 6th-ranked player was reassuring before defending her title in Haute-Savoie. With four solid rounds of 70/73/75/72, totaling two strokes over par, Boutier climbed to the 19th spot on the leaderboard. Her fifth top-20 finish of 2024 puts her back on track.

Now, it's time for Céline Boutier to tackle the ultimate challenge of a top-level athlete: staying at the top. The most decorated athletes in sports history all say the hardest part is not getting there but staying there. When facing such a battle, one must gather all their strength and fully commit. This is precisely when the support of the French public comes into play. Many fans will have eyes only for her; Boutier is aware of this and draws on this popular enthusiasm to perform. Last year, she was Évian's new star. Now, it remains to be seen if she will shine as brightly this season. The French dream of it, and she likely does too, but regardless of her 2024 result, her presence in this constellation already deserves to be celebrated.


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