05/31/26 04:33:00
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05/31 16:31 CDT Celine Boutier rallies from 4 down to win ShopRite LPGA
Celine Boutier rallies from 4 down to win ShopRite LPGA
GALLOWAY, N.J. (AP) --- Celine Boutier rallied from a four-shot deficit Sunday,
making three birdies around the turn on her way to a 5-under 66 for a one-shot
victory over Arpichaya Yubol in the ShopRite LPGA.
Soo Bin Joo, the 22-year-old South Korean going for her first LPGA Tour title,
lost her four-shot lead at the turn and then fell behind for good on the 13th
hole, the same hole where earlier Boutier had taken the lead with a 30-foot
birdie putt.
Joo missed another fairway to the right into a clumpy lie, pitched back to the
fairway, sent her wedge over the green with a front pin, chipped 8 feet by the
hole and missed the putt, taking a double bogey to fall three shots behind.
Boutier kept hitting solid shots, rarely getting in trouble. She missed a
4-foot birdie putt on the final hole to post at 9-under 204, and no one could
catch her.
"To have a chance to win today is definitely something very special," said
Boutier, the 32-year-old French player who won the ShopRite LPGA five years
ago. "I think it's great tournament, very special for me, so really excited to
be able to have another win here."
Yubol, who was penalized one shot in the second round Saturday for going over
her maximum time, birdied the last two holes for a 66. It was her second
runner-up finish of the year, having finished four shots behind Nelly Korda in
Mexico.
Lauren Walsh (67) finished third, followed by Joo among four players who tied
for fourth.
"It was so fun. It was my first time leading the tournament, and I think I did
my best out there as much as I can and I prepared well and I'm very proud of
myself," Joo said. "I was trying to do my best to stay mentally calm, and I
think I still got to work on that a little more."
Chizzy Iwai, who also started four shots behind, had two birdies in three
holes, but then closed with 15 straight pars.
Boutier finished the front nine with two straight birdies to reach 7 under, and
that gave her a share of the lead when Joo made bogey on the par-4 eighth.
Boutier then hit her approach to 4 feet for birdie on 10th. Joo caught her with
a birdie on the ninth but couldn't keep up the rest of the way.
The ShopRite LPGA is one of two 54-hole events on the schedule, and the field
was particularly weak this year --- one player from the top 10 --- because of
timing. The U.S. Women's Open is next week across the country in Los Angeles,
held at Riviera for the first time.
Boutier now has seven career LPGA title and 12 worldwide. She has struggled to
start this year, with a tie for ninth her best finish among 10 tournaments.
"I feel like my game has turned around the last few weeks. I could see it
coming together, and I definitely did not expect it to come together this week
and today," she said. "But I'm super excited to be back in the winner's circle."
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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