Celine Boutier of France rolled in eight birdies during a bogey-free final round of 63 to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic on Sunday in Galloway, N.J.
Boutier’s 14-under 199 was one shot better than South Koreans Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park — the 36-hole co-leaders and the second- and third-ranked players in the world — and Canadian Brooke Henderson.
Boutier finished the front nine 6 under par and added birdies on Nos. 16 and 18, with the last one proving to be decisive. Ko and Park had opportunities to tie Boutier at the 18th, but both missed birdie attempts.
“I just made a lot of putts today and it wasn’t the case yesterday,” Boutier said. “So I just feel like I honestly played really solid, gave myself a lot of opportunities, and dropped a lot putts, so that was definitely helpful.”
Boutier, 27, carried momentum to the Bay Course at Seaview Golf Club after winning two weeks ago at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour. Sunday marked her second LPGA Tour title and her first win on U.S. soil.
“It’s unbelievable. I think I’m still not realizing it yet,” she said. “I just feel like my first win in Australia (2019) was so long ago. It’s definitely time for another one, and I’m just over the moon.”
Henderson shot a bogey-free, 7-under 64 to join the tie for second.
“I was trying to make as many birdies as I could,” Henderson said. “I had a number (in mind). I’m not going to say it, but I had it in my head that I was trying to chase down.
“Within Inbee and Jin Young at the top you know you’re going to have to play really well to even have a shot, but just to be back in contention, it was a lot of fun.”
Park and Ko carded matching rounds of 69. Mexico’s Maria Fassi (64 Sunday) finished alone in fifth place at 12 under, and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit (69), the ANA Inspiration champion earlier this season, took sixth at 11 under.
–Field Level Media
