Home favourite Celine Boutier carded a round of 69 (-2) on day two of the Amundi Evian Championship to lead by one stroke at the halfway stage.
The Frenchwoman headed into the second round at Evian Resort Golf Club in a share of second place and began her day with a birdie at the first.
Two dropped shots on the fifth and 11th didn’t deter the three-time LET winner, who straight away rolled in back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13.
Then Boutier finished her second round with a flourish making a birdie on the last, much to the delight of the home crowd, to lead with a total of seven-under-par.
“It was definitely a very positive end to the round,” said the two-time Solheim Cup winner. “I feel like I definitely left a lot of putts a little bit short.
“I didn’t make that many birdies on the front especially. It feels nice to be able to finish with a birdie, especially with the wind. It was not very easy.
“In the past, I’ve definitely not handled it very well. I just feel like I put a lot of pressure on myself because I don’t want to disappoint anybody.
“If I learned anything from the past, I really have to just focus on the job and on the course, on each shot. That’s really helped me really stay focused and not get ahead or think too much about the plans.
“It’s really fun that the fans are cheering so hard for me. It’s definitely fun when you’re hitting good shots and you’re making putts, so I’m just trying to ride the wave and enjoy it.”
Two players sit in a tie for second place one shot behind Boutier with Japan’s Yuka Saso and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit on six-under-par.
It was quite the round for Saso, who won the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, as she began with a double bogey at the first and a bogey at the second.
The 22-year-old made a birdie on the fourth before dropping another shot on the fifth and then rolled in three birdies in four holes to make the turn in even par.
Despite another bogey on 10, Saso then rolled in three birdies on holes 12, 15 and 16 to seal a round of 69 (-2).
“The first two holes I was already three-over, not the start that I was hoping for,” said Saso. “I knew that was going to be a tough day, especially with the wind getting stronger in the afternoon and switching completely opposite compared to the first day.
“So, I just tried to be patient and tried to have fun. I’m playing with two great players, and I was able to do that and finish good.”
While fellow major champion Tavatanakit made five birdies and one bogey on her way to a round of 67 (-4) to move one shot off the lead.
“I’m pleased with the overall pace of my game, the way I was walking,” said the Thai star. “I feel like the overall energy, momentum was really good. Not too fast, not too slow. Just in a good zone.
“As long as I keep it in the fairway and keep scoring well on the par-fives. I feel like I’ve worked on my wedge game a little bit last week, just so I could score on the par-fives better, and it’s been paying off.”
Three players are in a share of fourth place with America’s Alison Lee, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka all on five-under-par.
Korea’s Hae Ran Ryu sits in outright seventh place on four-under with four players rounding out on the top 10 on three-under-par.
There were two hole-in-ones on day two of the Amundi Evian Championship with American Emma Talley and Japanese amateur Saki Baba both producing aces.
At the end of the day, the cut fell at +4 with 70 players making it through to the final two rounds of the fourth major of the year.
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