Leaderboard

Celine Boutier, -21 (64)
Atthaya Thitikul, -21 (68)
Jasmine Suwannapura, -19 (70)
Rose Zhang, -19 (71)
Peiyun Chien, -18 (68)

Quotable

“I knew she wasn’t going to make a mistake, so I had to go for it and give myself the best chances for birdies,” Boutier said of Thitikul. “I feel like she’s an amazing player, and so I feel like it was definitely nerve-racking, but I just feel very happy to have held on for that long.”

What it means

Boutier is now the only player on the LPGA with four wins in 2023. She has surpassed Lilia Vu in the Rolex Player of the Year award race with three tournaments remaining, earning 30 points for the win after starting the week 27 points back of Vu, who did not play in the event as she was participating in the Aramco Team Series event in Riyadh.

“I definitely wanted to win that award at some point in my career. I really did not expect it to be this season,” Boutier said. “I just feel like it’s so hard to just be able to win already and just to be able to have the chance to have this award at the end of the season is something that I definitely don’t take for granted.”

Earlier this season, Boutier earned the title of the most successful Frenchwoman in LPGA history: Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Anne-Marie Palli each have two LPGA wins. The Maybank Championship is Boutier’s sixth career LPGA win. She is undoubtedly the best female golfer to ever come out of France. Not a bad milestone to reach before your 30th birthday, which she celebrates on November 10.

How it happened

Like many times in 2023, this tournament needed a extra holes to find its victor. This was the 12th playoff of the LPGA season, and it was the longest at nine holes. (Back in 1972, Jo Ann Pretince and Sandra Palmer went 10 holes at the Corpus Christi Civitan Open, so though the Maybank Championship was close, it wasn’t an LPGA record.) The playoff was made even longer by a weather delay after the first playoff hole.

During the delay, Boutier found a quiet spot in the locker room and did her best to stay in her own “bubble”. She needed to conserve her energy. She had started the final round five shots back and shot her second 64 of the week to vault up the leaderboard. She would’ve won it during regular play, too, if one last birdie try on 18 hadn’t lipped out.

After 92 minutes of waiting, Boutier and Thitikul went back out on the course, trading birdies and pars. On the ninth playoff hole, both players had put their approach shots to within 10 feet, Thikikul missed and Boutier made her birdie putt to win the championship.

Boutier is now two-for-two in playoffs in 2023: She defeated Georgia Hall at the LPGA Drive On Championship in March. That playoff was settled in a more timely fashion, lasting only one hole.

Best of the rest

A few spots down the leaderboard, Rose Zhang finished T-4. It’s her first top-five finish since winning her pro debut in June. That first victory was the stuff of legend, and the type of storyline we dream about. Who wouldn’t want to root for the amateur star turned pro sensation? But the tricky thing about winning your first pro tournament is that it makes people wonder, Could she win them all? The expectations for Zhang have been high — and appropriately so, she has the game and potential to warrant it. But a lot of expectation was heaped on her when she had only been a professional for a few moments. In the months following that win, she’s had a couple missed cuts, three top-10s, her Solheim Cup debut (0-2-1) and has travelled the world. In Malaysia, she got herself in contention again and found confidence there.

“I felt like it was a really incredible week for me,” Zhang said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in contention, in the top 10, and I just feel really lucky to be in that position. I still have lots to learn, lots to improve on, but I feel like it’s all up from here.”

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Following her amazing summer on tour, Celine Boutier is targeting yet more 2023 glory at her third Solheim Cup later this month.

The Frenchwoman won on the LPGA Tour before claiming her first major at the Amundi Evian Championship in her home country of France, and went back-to-back in the Scottish Open the following week.

“I’m very much looking forward to it, I feel like my first one in Gleneagles was so long ago,” Boutier told the Ladies European Tour. “It’s going to be very nice to be able to play with European fans on our side, I’m really excited and looking forward to being there.

“My first Solheim Cup was the most memorable for me, just because it was my first time experiencing everything and the fact that we were in Scotland, and I was able to go undefeated with Georgia by my side. It was definitely something I will remember.”

Speaking of her partnership with England’s Georgia Hall, the duo are undefeated in the competition which will take place at Finca Cortesin in Spain next week.

Back in 2019, Boutier and Hall won both of their foursomes matches, as well as their fourballs match and last time out in Toledo they earned half a point in the foursomes again.

The 29-year-old admits she wasn’t sure if the partnership was going to work when Catriona Matthew initially paired them.

However, the duo have not looked back since then and are hopeful of a reunion on the fairways of Spain.

She explained: “At first, I wasn’t really sure if it was going to be the right fit. I had never really played with Georgia much but as soon as the first one or two matches it went super well.

“She’s an unbelievable player, especially under pressure and if there was a putt for the win, I would definitely put my money on Georgia she’s a really clutch player and it’s been really fun to be able to play alongside her and to witness what she’s been able to do under pressure. It’s fun to have a partner you can definitely rely on.”

The post Celine Boutier targets Solheim Cup glory to cap a fine summer appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Suzann Pettersen has announced her four captain’s picks to round out the home team that’s trying to win an unprecedented third straight Solheim Cup for Europe next month in Spain. Much like the eight automatic qualifiers who locked up their spots two days earlier, Pettersen chose experience along with a fresh face, taking one rookie (Gemma Dryburgh) and three veterans (Madelene Sagstrom, Caroline Hedwal and Emily Kristine Pedersen). With the matches set for Finca Cortesin Resort in just four weeks (September 22-24), here’s what you need to know about the newest members of Europe’s Solheim Cup squad.

Madelene Sagstrom

Madelene Sagstrom. Jack Thomas

This is the 30-year-old’s third Solheim Cup, though it’ll be the first time she’ll play the event in Europe. The Swede was a stand-out on the Epson Tour, winning three times in 2016 and earning her LPGA Tour card for the 2017 season. She has won once on the LPGA Tour and is currently ranked No. 42 in the Rolex World Rankings. Her overall Solheim Cup record is 2-4-0.

Emily Kristine Pedersen

Emily Kristine Pedersen. Charlie Crowhurst/R&A

This is Pedersen’s third Solheim Cup as well and her first start in Europe, too. You may remember her as the player who holed the winning put for the Europeans when they closed out their upset victory at Inverness Club in 2021. The 27-year-old Dane has won five LET events in her career, including four in 2020 alone. Notably, she is one of the longest hitters on the LPGA Tour, averaging 273 yards off the tee. Her career Solheim Cup record is 3-4-0.

Caroline Hedwall

Caroline Hedwall. Getty Images

Hedwall is the most experienced of Pettersen’s picks, set to make her fifth appearance. The 34-year-old Swede who was a stand-out at Oklahoma State who played 10 years on the LPGA Tour but never claimed a title. She does have seven wins on the Ladies European Tour, the most recent coming late last year at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España —  which was played about an hour from the 2023 Solheim Cup site.
“Having great memories from the end of last year in Andalucía, I hadn’t thought much about Solheim until I won and after that, it was a goal for the season,” Hedwall said. “I’m just really happy it became a reality and super pumped to play in Spain again.”
Her career Solheim Cup record is 8-6-1.

Gemma Dryburgh

Gemma Dryburgh. David Cannon

This is Dryburgh’s first Solheim Cup, though she has experience in team play, having competed in the 2014 Curtis Cup. The 30-year-old Scot played college golf at Tulane before turning professional in 2015. In 2022, she won the Toto Japan Classic, her first LPGA victory. She will make a good foursomes partner as she is one of the most accurate drivers of the golf ball on the LPGA Tour, hitting more than 82 pe rcent of fairways in the 2023 season.

Team Europe’s complete roster for the 2023 Solheim Cup

Celine Boutier
Maja Stark
Charley Hull
Leona Maguire
Georgia Hall
Linn Grant
Carlota Ciganda
Anna Nordqvist
Gemma Dryburgh
Caroline Hedwall
Emily Kristine Pedersen
Madelene Sagstrom

The post Everything you need to know about Suzann Pettersen’s four European Solheim Cup captain’s picks appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

With eight of the 12 players now locked in for Team Europe ahead of their Solheim Cup title defence, Suzann Pettersen and her side can now finally turn their attention fully to the challenge ahead as they welcome the American stars to Finca Cortesin in Spain next month.

France’s Celine Boutier, the Amundi Evian and Women’s Scottish open champion, is on fire right now and topped the LET Solheim Cup Points standings with 264.57 points thanks in part to those back-to-back victories.

“I’m really looking forward to being part of Team Europe at the 2023 Solheim Cup,” said the Frenchwoman, who made her Solheim Cup debut in 2019, is a two-time winner and has won 5.5 points in her seven matches at the previous two editions.

“It’s going to be such an enjoyable week and it’s always a lot of fun. I’ve had such a great year winning on the LPGA in March and then to get my first major title at Evian and to win in Scotland the week after.

“It’s been unbelievable and I’m so excited to have qualified to play in the Solheim Cup. To be able to share the week with my teammates and be able to compete for Europe on European soil for the first time since 2019 will be amazing.”

Celine Boutier. Stuart Franklin

The newly crowned major champion is joined by Sweden’s Maja Stark, who clinched the second spot with 262.42 points.

Stark, who turned professional in August 2021, has won six times on the LET in the past two years including the 2022 edition of the co-sanctioned ISPS Handa World Invitational which secured her membership of the LPGA Tour.

The 23-year-old was part of the Junior Solheim Cup team in 2017, just six years ago, and will now be teeing it up as a rookie at the 2023 Solheim Cup which takes place between September 22-24.

“It feels like there have been very many gradual steps towards this moment,” Stark said. “I have just been doing my job since turning professional to get to this point. It’s something I have wanted to do for a long time, to represent Team Europe at the Solheim Cup and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be so much fun.”

Charley Hull. Warren Little/R&A

Six players have qualified to Team Europe via the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings with England’s Charley Hull leading the way.

This will be Hull’s sixth consecutive Solheim Cup, having made her debut aged 17 and she has been on the winning team on three occasions.

After an outstanding rookie performance in Toledo in 2021 where she earned 4.5 points out of 5, Ireland’s Leona Maguire returns to Team Europe.

Maguire said: “I’m really excited to be part of the European Team at this year’s Solheim Cup. I had an incredible time in Toledo, it was way beyond my expectations, but I can’t wait to be part of Team Europe on European soil and to play in front of home fans. It’s great to be flying the flag for Ireland once again and I hope to have lots of support in Spain.”

Georgia Hall. Getty

England’s Georgia Hall has qualified for her fourth Solheim Cup after making her debut in 2017 and being on the winning team for the past two editions.

There will be another rookie on the team as Linn Grant secured qualification for her first Solheim Cup in September in Spain.

The Swedish star has won five times on the LET in the past two seasons including at the 2022 Scandinavian Mixed where she became the first woman to win a DP World Tour event, and she recently secured her maiden victory on the LPGA Tour.

Grant explained: “I’m very proud. It’s the first Solheim Cup that I can play in and I’m in it which is pretty cool. It has obviously been a dream since I found out about the Solheim Cup. We’re a great team, I love Suzann and all our vice-captains, and I think we will have a really fun week. I’m looking forward to it.”

Spain will have a home hero in the team at Finca Cortesin as Carlota Ciganda will be making her sixth consecutive appearance for the European Team.

“The Solheim Cup is my favourite week of the year and to be able to play at home in Spain is a dream come true,” said Ciganda, who clinched her seventh LET title earlier this season.

“I love playing for the team and I am very excited to be able to play in front of home crowds. Hopefully, we will see a lot of girls come out and watch us play and I hope that we can inspire them for the future and for the next generations to come.”

Anna Nordqvist. Getty Images

While Anna Nordqvist will be a playing vice-captain in Spain after she secured her place in the final automatic qualifying spot via the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

The Swede will be making her eighth consecutive appearance in the competition having won 15.5 points from the 27 matches she has played.

“I’m very proud to be taking on vice-captaincy and playing this year,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a secret how much I love the Solheim Cup and it brings out the best in me. It’s always my biggest goal every two years to make the team and try to help Europe win. There’s no feeling like stepping up on the first tee box.”

Speaking about her team captain Suzann Pettersen said: “I’m very happy with my team right now for the 2023 Solheim Cup. Congratulations to the eight players who have automatically qualified, we have so much experience in the team and it’s great to have our rookies Maja and Linn representing Europe for the first time. We have never had such a strong group of players in terms of world ranking. The European players have been playing well this year and putting in strong performances across the board.”

Pettersen will finalise her team and name her four captain’s picks this evening as Europe look to win their third Solheim Cup in a row.

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The end of the ISPS Handa World Invitational also marked the end of the qualifying period for Europe’s Solheim Cup roster. All eight players in line for automatic spots heading into the week held their places, as the Ladies European Tour announced on Sunday that Celine Boutier and Maja Stark earned their way on to the team through LET Solheim points. Charley Hull, Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, Linn Grant, Carlota Ciganda and Anna Nordqvist claimed the remaining six qualifying spots from their placement in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings.

Six of the eight qualifiers have previous experience in the Solheim Cup, with Boutier, Hull, Maguire, Hall and Nordqvist playing for the victorious European team at Inverness Club in 2021. Stark and Grant are the two rookies to qualify, each winning their first-ever LPGA events during the qualifying period. Stark won the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational last season, and Grant won the Dana Open in July.

“I’m very happy with my team right now,” said European captain Suzann Pettersen via a release, the biennial competition set for Sept. 22-24 at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain with the Europeans looking to win for a third straight clash, something they haven’t done since the start of the competition in 1990. “Congratulations to the eight players who have automatically qualified, we have so much experience in the team, and it’s great to have our rookies Maja and Linn representing Europe for the first time. We have never had such a strong group of players in terms of world ranking. The European players have been playing well this year and putting in strong performances across the board.”

Congratulations to the eight players who have qualified for the ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ???

Boutier ??
Stark ??
Hull ???????
Maguire ??
Hall ???????
Grant ??
Ciganda ??
Nordqvist ??#TeamEurope | #SolheimCup

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 20, 2023

Boutier led the points list with a commanding European swing, winning the Amundi Evian Championship and the Women’s Scottish Open in back-to-back weeks starting at the end of July. The 29-year-old from France will be playing in her third Solheim Cup, having impressively earned 5.5 of a possible seven points combined in 2019 and 2021.

Outside of Grant, the Rolex Rankings group has played in a combined 21 Solheim Cups, with Nordqvist (who is also serving as a vice captain) leading the way with seven consecutive cups dating back to 2009.

“I’m very proud to be taking on vice-captaincy and playing this year,” Nordqvist said. “I don’t think it’s a secret how much I love the Solheim Cup and it brings out the best in me. It’s always my biggest goal every two years to make the team and try to help Europe win.”

Pettersen will fill out the remaining spots on her 12-player roster on Tuesday when she announces her four captain’s picks. The United States end their automatic qualifying period after next week’s CPKC Canadian Open, with only four of the nine spots already locked up (Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda, Allisen Corpuz and Megan Khang). US captain Stacy Lewis then will name her three captain’s picks afterward.

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A week after saying that “nothing else matters” upon winning the Amundi Evian Championship in her home country of France (“I’m really good for the rest of the year”), Celine Boutier proceeded to win yet again, cruising to a two-shot victory at the Women’s Scottish Open after a final-round 70 at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire. In the process, the 29-year-old became the first Evian champ to win the next week since the event became a major in 2013.

To call it a career year for Boutier, 29, would be an understatement. In addition to her three victories — most of any player on the LPGA Tour in 2023 — Boutier has three other top-10 finishes on the season. The $300,000 first-place prize money payout puts her past the $2 million mark in earnings for the year. She also now leads the CME Group points list.

Here’s the prize money payout for everyone who made the cut this week in the tournament co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET.

Win: Celine Boutier, -15, $300,000
2: Hyo Joo Kim, -13, $167,294
3: Ruoning Yin, -12, $111,529
T-4: A Lim Kim, -11, $75,282
T-4: Maja Stark, -11, $75,282
T-6: Nicole Broch Estrup, -10, $52,047
T-6: Patty Tavatanakit, -10, $52,047
T-6: Caroline Hedwall, -10, $52,047
T-9: Madelene Sagstrom, -9, $41,824
T-9: Sarah Kemp, -9, $41,824
T-9: Andrea Lee, -9, $41,824
T-9: Ally Ewing, -9, $41,824
T-13: Stephanie Kyriacou, -8, $35,318
T-13: Arpichaya Yubol, -8, $35,318
T-13: Minjee Lee, -8, $35,318
T-16: Jennifer Kupcho, -7, $31,135
T-16: Hinako Shibuno, -7, $31,135
T-16: Xiyu Janet Lin, -7, $31,135
T-16: Jenny Shin, -7, $31,135
T-20: Linn Grant, -6, $27,185
T-20: Esther Henseleit, -6, $27,185
T-20: Yu Liu, -6, $27,185
T-20: Yuna Nishimura, -6, $27,185
T-24: Linnea Strom, -4, $22,771
T-24: Nasa Hataoka, -4, $22,771
T-24: Sarah Schmelzel, -4, $22,771
T-24: Mi Hyang Lee, -4, $22,771
T-28: Jeongeun Lee6, -3, $17,324
T-28: Minami Katsu, -3, $17,324
T-28: Eleanor Givens, -3, $17,324
T-28: Megan Khang, -3, $17,324
T-28: Angel Yin, -3, $17,324
T-33: Celine Herbin, -2, $14,127
T-33: Eun Hee Ji, -2, $14,127
T-35: Frida Kinhult, -1, $10,575
T-35: Ana Peláez Triviño, -1, $10,575
T-35: Cara Gainer, -1, $10,575
T-35: Charley Hull, -1, $10,575
T-35: Gaby Lopez, -1, $10,575
T-35: Lee-Anne Pace, -1, $10,575
T-35: In Gee Chun, -1, $10,575
T-35: Lilia Vu, -1, $10,575
T-35: Maddie Szeryk, -1, $10,575
T-44: Gemma Dryburgh, E, $8,736
T-44: Na Rin An, E, $8,736
T-44: Soo Bin Joo, E, $8,736
T-47: Elin Arvidsson, +1, $7,714
T-47: Agathe Sauzon, +1, $7,714
T-47: Kim Metraux, +1, $7,714
T-47: Ayaka Furue, +1, $7,714
T-47: Amanda Doherty, +1, $7,714
T-47: Casandra Alexander, +1, $7,714
T-47: Annie Park, +1, $7,714
T-47: Perrine Delacour, + 1, $7,714
T-55: Aditi Ashok, +3, $6,413
T-55: Lauren Coughlin, +3, $6,413
T-55: Lydia Hall, +3, $6,413
T-55: Jasmine Suwannapura, +3, $6,413
T-55: Paula Reto, +3, $6,413
T-55: Emily Kristine Pedersen, +3, $6,413
T-61: Louise Duncan, +4, $5,669
T-61: Pernilla Lindberg, + 4, $5,669
T-63: Caroline Inglis, +5, $5,298
T-63: Ginnie Ding, +5, Amateur
T-63: Mel Reid, +5, $5,298
T-66: Alice Hewson, +6, $4,647
T-66: Bronte Law, +6, $4,647
T-66: Alison Lee, +6, $4,647
T-66: Marissa Steen, 6+, $4,647
T-66: Bailey Tardy, +6, $4,647
71: Leonie Harm, +8, $4,089
T-72: Magdalena Simmermacher, +12, $3,811
T-72: Emma Grechi, +12, $3,811
74: Klara Davidson Spilkova, +16, $3,532

The post Here’s the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2023 Women’s Scottish Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The LPGA Tour’s European swing belongs to Celine Boutier. After becoming the first Frenchwoman to win the Evian Championship last week, Boutier claimed the Women’s Scottish Open with a 15-under-par 273. A closing two-under 70 helped her clinch a two-shot victory, back-to-back wins and a third LPGA triumph in 2023. Here is how she won at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Leaderboard
Celine Boutier, -15 (final-round 70)
Hyo Joo Kim, -13 (65)
Ruoning Yin, -12 (66)
A Lim Kim, -11 (66)
Maja Stark, -11 (71)

Quotable
“It’s completely crazy,” Boutier said. “I would have never imagined that I would be able to win not one, but two tournaments in a row, and yeah, I’m just incredibly in shock. Yeah, I don’t think I know what to say or what to think. I think it’s just completely out of control. I’m not sure what to think.”

What it means
Boutier’s European romp continues. She has carded nine consecutive rounds under par on her home continent, dating back to the final round of last year’s AIG Women’s Open and 13 straight sub-par rounds at the Women’s Scottish Open.
And to call it a career year would be an understatement. In addition to her three LPGA victories — most of any player on in 2023 — Boutier has three other top-10 finishes on the season. The $300,000 first-place prize money payout puts her past the $2 million mark in earnings for the year. She also now leads the CME Group points list.
She added another historic note to her banner season, as Boutier is the first-ever player to win the week after winning the Evian.

How it happened
Boutier, 29, opened Sunday with a three-stroke lead over Patty Tavatanakit and Maja Stark. Twice, someone got to within a shot of first place, but like Boutier’s Sunday at the Evian Resort Course, she never relinquished the lead.
Tavatanakit cut into Boutier’s advantage early, birdieing the first and fifth, while Boutier started with a run of pars as the 2021 ANA Inspiration champion cut the lead down to one.

Patty Tavatanakit is just one back of the lead at @Womens_Scottish after this ?

Watch now on @GolfChannel pic.twitter.com/wOOBnYIphH

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2023

Boutier promptly responded with her first birdie of the day on the sixth, then followed up with another birdie on the ninth to regain a three-shot edge with nine to play.

A birdie from @celineboutier on No. 9 increases her lead to three strokes ?

Watch live coverage now on @GolfChannel #LPGAEuroSwing pic.twitter.com/VNVymCExK6

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2023

Past major champions applied the pressure on the back nine. A Lim Kim, who began Sunday eight shots back, birdied six of seven holes from the ninth through the 15th to get to 13-under and two behind Boutier. A miss wide left of the par-4 16th green turned in a bogey, turning the tide of the 2020 US Women’s Open winner’s run as Boutier strode to the 11th maintaining a clean card.
Yet a smooth-sailing day for Boutier was shaken on the par-5 14th when her three-foot par putt horseshoed around the cup for her first bogey of the day, dropping to 15-under. Tavatanakit kept hanging around alongside Boutier in the final group and moved back within two with four to play.
Both Tavatanakit and Boutier missed the par-3 15th green left, short siding themselves out of the thick Scottish fescue. Tavatanakit went first, and instead of applying pressure, it took Tavatanakit two chips to get onto the putting surface. Boutier calmly knocked her chip to within three feet, getting up-and-down to regain a three-stroke lead once again.
Boutier followed with another bogey two holes later on the 16th, which for a moment gave her a two-shot cushion over 2014 Evian Championship winner Hyo Joo Kim. Despite the South Korean hobbling around Dundonald Links Sunday with a lower leg injury, Kim still posted a bogey-free seven-under 65, tied for the low round of the day. Kim punctuated her scorecard with a 20-foot birdie on the par-5 18th to cut the lead to one, taking the clubhouse lead at 13-under.

6⃣5⃣

Hyo-Joo Kim signs off with a stunning 65 (-7) & sets the clubhouse target on -13 ?#RaiseOurGame | #FGWSO pic.twitter.com/hmwcatsjkj

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 6, 2023

Unrattled by her slowly shrinking lead, Boutier delivered the winning putt on the par-4 17th with a right-to-left cross-green 30-foot birdie to reclaim a two-shot lead into the par-5 18th.

Statement birdie.@celineboutier had this one right one line. She heads to the final hole leading by 2 pic.twitter.com/kMnIuCUYkM

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2023

“I got a read and tried to give it a run,” Boutier said. “I really tried to get it to the hole and ended up going in which was a huge bonus and definitely made me feel better about 18.”
Boutier played the 18th unflappably, closing out a stress-free par tap-in to walk away with her second win in Europe in two LPGA tournaments across the pond. As for what might happen if she can make it three victories in a row at the AIG Women’s Open next week?
“I think if I win, I may just retire,” Boutier joked.

Best of the rest
Minjee Lee posted an eight-over 80 to sit T-132 to begin the week. The tied for the second-worst round of her career put Lee’s seven-consecutive top-20 streak in serious jeopardy. Instead, the Australian impressively recovered with rounds of 66-68-68, moving up 121 spots to end up at T-11.

Shot of the day

MAJA STARK!

The Swede drained an ACE on the 6th hole pic.twitter.com/QvSXxQHNCM

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2023

Two holes after Stark double-bogeyed the par-3 fourth, the Swede aced the sixth to move back to 11-under. Her bulging eyes tell the tale of how impressive the shot was, as it was the only hole-in-one of the week. Stark’s T-4 is her best finish since a T-4 at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February.

Biggest disappointment
Hinako Shibuno held a two-shot lead through 36 holes at 12-under with an impressive 64-68 start. Instead of contending for her second career LPGA title, the 2019 AIG Women’s Open winner posted a 77-72 weekend to shoot 17 strokes worse than her first two rounds. Shibuno settled for a T-16 finish, her second-best performance of the season.

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World No.4 and 2023 Evian Champion Celine Boutier, who started the day five shots adrift of the lead, showed no sign of fatigue from winning her first major last weekend to move three shots clear in the Women’s Scottish Open with a stunning third round of 66 at Dundonald Links.

Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, a fellow major winner, also shot 66 to see her climb up the leaderboard on moving day into tied second place alongside Maja Stark, whose par 72 had promised so much more with four birdies over the first 10 holes. The leader at the halfway stage, Japanese star Hinako Shibuno, had a disappointing Saturday that saw her move in the wrong direction dropping to T6 following a 77.

Boutier rolled in birdies on holes two, three, five and seven before dropping a shot on the ninth. She continued to impress with birdies on 12 and 14 followed by a bogey on 15 but she finished in style with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 for her round of six-under.

The major champion sits at the top of the leaderboard on 13-under in search of back-to-back victories.

Boutier rolls in a birdie at the last for a 66 (-6) & to take a three shot lead into the final day ?#RaiseOurGame | #FGWSO pic.twitter.com/r3XHF649wY

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 5, 2023

“I definitely feel like I’m hitting a lot of good shots, which is nice,” said Boutier, who was runner-up at this tournament in 2022. “Sometimes you envision shots, and it doesn’t always happen. I feel like today a lot happened the way I saw it. It was very positive and I’m very happy with my round.

“I’m just trying to hit as many good shots as possible. I’m trying to stay focused and I feel like this course is pretty challenging with the weather conditions. I’m just trying to hit the best shots possible under the circumstances.

“When you’re playing well, it’s easier to be positive about it. I made a bogey on nine, which also fired me up a little bit. It was nice to get some more energy going. I’m just going to try to hopefully play the same and stick to my game plan and see what happens.

“I’ve definitely been playing well and the fact that I got a good result last week also is giving me a little bit of confidence. I’m just trying to build off of that, and hopefully have a good, solid round tomorrow.”

Tavatanakit and Stark are back on 10-under.

Tavatanakit had quite the scorecard with her only bogey coming at the first followed by eagles on the third and 14th holes as well as birdies on five, nine, and 12 for her own round of 66 .

“It was just a good day, everything was solid. I made a lot of putts,” said the Thai star. “I just took it shot by shot and it just happened to turn out really well this week.

“I’m really having fun learning so far, and it is links so anything could happen. If you play well, you also need a bit of luck and it’s been helping me so far.

“I just want to have fun tomorrow and I’m not really thinking about anything and just go out there and play golf like I did today. It was really light, and it was really fun.”

It was a frustrating day for Stark who had a bogey on the fourth that was sandwiched between birdies on three and five.

The six-time LET winner rolled in back-to-back birdies on nine and 10 but then had bogeys on holes 11, 15 and 18 for an even-par round of 72.

“I just felt like I had a lot of good opportunities, but I just didn’t trust my irons today,” she said. “I did stupid mistakes on my putting where I changed my mind when I was standing over the putt, and then I aimed somewhere else, and then I missed. It felt like such immature golf.

“I want revenge, and it is nice to have someone to chase that is not too far away. So, it’s good to be in the final group. Tomorrow, I think it’s just a “screw it” mentality because it’s the final day and you know where you’re standing. You’ve made the cut, and now it’s all about getting the win.

“I’m just going to maybe not be more aggressive than the other days, but just have a better mindset and knowing that I can shoot a low round is a big thing. It feels like Sundays are always better than Saturdays.”

Sweden’s Madelene Sagström is in outright fourth place on nine-under after a round of 68, and Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup is one shot further back in fifth. Three players are in a share of sixth place with Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, Australia’s Sarah Kemp and Japan’s Shibuno all on seven-under.

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The world’s best players including six of the world’s top 10 have landed at Dundonald Links for the Women’s Scottish Open, with defending champion Ayaka Furue, US Women’s Open Champion Allisen Corpuz, and golf’s latest major winner Celine Boutier talking to the media.

Ayaka Furue
World No. 18

• Defending Champion
• Shortest active player on the LPGA at 5 foot
• Won last year’s event in her rookie year on the LPGA
• A final round 62 to seal victory last year included a run of six consecutive birdies
• Has earned seven top-10 finishes this season, including second place at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play

On what the Japanese fans thought of her rookie win in Scotland…
“When I went back to Japan, all the Japanese fans, they already know the bunkers and the course is very difficult. So they were very happy that I was able to win in that condition, and everybody said great job, great job.”
On her tactics this week…
“I’m only trying to be a good friend with the wind on this course and enjoy my golf this week.”

Celine Boutier. Women’s Scottish Open

Celine Boutier
World No. 4

• First French winner of the Amundi Evian Championship
• Four LPGA victories to her name
• Won this year’s Amundi Evian Championship by six shots over two-time major winner Brooke Henderson
• Has finished within the top-10 at every major:
  The Chevron Championship                     T4: 2022
  KPMG Women’s PGA Championship      T7: 2021
  U.S. Women’s Open                                   T5: 2019
  AIG Women’s Open                                   6th: 2019
  The Amundi Evian Championship            Won: 2023

On winning her first major in front of her home fans…
“I never really pictured how it was going to happen. Obviously it was such a dream for me. I wouldn’t even call it a goal for me this year. I obviously wanted to perform well in the majors. But in the past I was never really able to play well in Evian, just the pressure of everything was a lot for me to handle and this year, I just decided to really do it for myself and not put so much pressure on myself. The fact that I even had a chance to play for the win in the final round was a big advantage for me and to pull it off on the final day to, have the crowd behind you, which I never imagined that they would be so loud and so energetic, so passionate about it. It felt like a win for me and it felt like a  win for them as well. To be able to share it with everyone in my home country is an absolute dream come true.”
On why she is here this week after the biggest victory of her life…
“I had a very good week last year on this course. I feel like I really enjoy playing in links course. And I feel like even though Walton Heath is not going to be like links, traditional links, I feel like it’s still good to be in the UK and Scotland and to be able to get a feel for the wind and weather and stuff like that. I feel like it was going to be a good week to prepare for the British.”

Allisen Corpuz. Women’s Scottish Open

Allisen Corpuz
World No. 7

• Won her first major at this year’s US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach
• In her rookie year on the LPGA, she made 17 of 21 cuts and finished the year at 41st on the Rolex World Rankings
• Member of the victorious 2021 Curtis Cup team in Wales, which was also her first-time playing links golf
• Making her second appearance at the Women’s Scottish Open

On returning to Dundonald Links…
“I think it’s definitely a gettable course. There’s a lot of birdie opportunities. There’s just a few holes that play a little tougher, a little longer and especially with the wind it can definitely be tough to gauge just yardages in, how much the ball is going to roll out, even into the wind, how much the wind is going to play a factor there. So really just coming in with a little more knowledge and trying to score a little better this year.”
On what she enjoys most about links golf…
“Yeah, I haven’t quite figured it out yet but I think it’s really fun. I think it’s great to watch drives roll like a hundred yards and be thinking, Oh, it’s going to roll up 50 yards to the green. I think that’s really fun. It definitely just takes some extra time, a little more thought, but I love it.”
On staying onsite this week…
“It’s beautiful and a very spacious room. Very nice shower. It’s just nice to be able to roll out of bed and just walk on to property. It’s nice to be able to see the course from the room. Haven’t had dinner here yet but the food has been really good so far.”

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Watch the highlights from Celine Boutier’s win at the Amundi Evian Championship, and you’ll realise short game was key to her becoming the first Frenchwoman to win the major. She shot rounds of 66-69-67-68 to finish at 14-under, enough for a decisive six-shot victory. While it’s fun to watch the long birdie putts drop, let’s take a look at a particularly nifty chip she hit to set up a par at the 10th hole on Sunday.

 

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If this low-flying, quick-stopping chip isn’t currently part of your game, Erika Larkin can teach you how to hit it.

“To hit a little nipper like this, take a mid-lofted wedge, like a 50 or 52-degree, and slightly open the face at set-up. Stand tall and take a narrow stance,” Larkin said.

When you set up, your ball position should be just back of centre. “It’s OK if the shaft of the club feels a bit more upright than normal,” Larkin said. “If the heel is just a touch off the ground, that’s actually a good thing.” The heel being up means the toe is down, so the club will glide more and the heel won’t catch on a tight lie, Larkin said. This set-up also helps reduce loft, giving you that low trajectory Boutier creates in the video above.

As you swing, Larkin says to keep your wrist motion to a minimum. As you come through the ball, apply speed, and focus on keeping the clubhead low through the finish.

“The low approach to the ball, the speed and the loft combination is what gives you that nice stopping power,” Larkin said.

Try this shot when you have a tight lie but need the ball to spin, and it’ll help you keep bogeys off the card.

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