Major champion Celine Boutier is enjoying her time in France for this week’s Lacoste Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The Frenchwoman is a former champion having won the tournament in 2021 when it was played at Golf du Medoc.
Boutier has great memories of lifting the trophy in her home Open and would like to do it again at a different venue.
“I’m very excited to be back,” said Boutier. “I think this week is always a nice, fun one and very special with my sponsor Lacoste. Being an ambassador, it is always important for me to represent not only the French players, but also the brand. I’m pretty excited to be here.
“It was such an important week for me. Winning the French Open was definitely something I always wanted to do in my career and to have done it there was really fun. I have such fun memories from that week. It would be fun to win it here on a different course. Looking back, that was definitely one of my favourite weeks.”
This week sees the 35th edition of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France with Golf Barrière in Deauville hosting for the fourth year in a row.
The six-time LET winner is just enjoying being back in her home country and surrounded by friends and family.
Boutier played at this golf course in the 2022 and 2023 editions, where she finished in T6 and T10 respectively, and knows the weather conditions will be a challenge.
“The greens are very slopey,” she continued. “There are a lot of breaks, so it can be hard to have it high enough sometimes. I got surprised quite a bit today.
“It got pretty windy too, which made it a little bit more difficult just with club selection. Depending on the weather conditions, I think it’s going to be hard to get the ball close and then just making the putts would be important.
“It’s good for the mind and the mood. A little bit of fresh air, just seeing some of my friends that I don’t really get to see that much and my family. Just being home, speaking even French and hearing French! It just sounds so silly, but I feel like it just makes me feel good and happy.”
Three French amateurs are competing in the LET event this week, and junior golfers also get the opportunity to tee it up with the LET professionals.
Boutier recalls how inspiring it was to play in this event as an amateur and hopes the next generation will have the same experience.
She added: “I do remember playing this tournament as an amateur, it was my first professional event that I got lucky enough to have an invite. I was definitely inspired from that week.
“It was pretty surreal to be able to measure my golf game and compare it to the best players on the LET. I feel like it was a very inspiring week for me, and I hope that it does the same for them.”
Boutier will begin her title challenge at 1.15 pm (local time) alongside Germany’s Helen Briem and Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
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