Celine Boutier fired a 5-under-par 66 with a pivotal long birdie putt down the stretch to pull out a one-shot victory for her second title at the ShopRite LPGA on Sunday in Galloway, N.J.
The Frenchwoman posted a 9-under 204 for the three-round event at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club’s Bay Course. South Korea’s Soo Bin Joo held the lead overnight but stumbled with a double bogey and a bogey on the closing stretch to open the door for Boutier, who won the event in 2021.
Boutier also hadn’t won in the United States since October 2023.
“It’s definitely not what I expected, but it’s always good to be back,” said Boutier, who began the day four strokes behind. “I feel like I have some good memories and I’ve met some cool people throughout the years, so it’s been fun to come back.
“And then have a chance to win today is definitely something very special. I think it’s great tournament, very special for me, so really excited to be able to have another win here.”
Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol played the back nine in 4-under 30 on her way to a round of 66, enough to take second place at 8 under. She’ll regret the lone bogey she made on the back nine, the par-4 16th, but was still content with second place.
“I do my best on my way as I can,” Yubol said. “And it’s golf. Everything happen is happen. But I’m really happy, yeah.”
Boutier started her round strong with birdies at Nos. 1 and 3, and she rebounded from a bogey at the par-3 seventh hole with consecutive birdies to close the front nine.
She holed a third straight birdie at No. 10, and she was still tied for the lead with Joo when her approach at the par-4 14th landed much further from the pin than she’d have liked. But her long-range putt tracked perfectly to the cup.
Boutier said she wasn’t sure why it had been so long since she last won, having broken through for four victories (including a major) in 2023.
“I feel like I played solid the last two years,” she said. “Even though I didn’t get a win, I finished second a couple times last year, so there were good seasons even though there weren’t wins. It was a bit frustrating, and then this season I started off really slow; kind of struggled a lot of first half. So I’m very happy. I feel like my game has turned around the last few weeks.”
Ireland’s Lauren Walsh capped a consistent performance with her best round of the week, a 67, to take third place at 7 under. Polly Mack of Germany (67), Chizzy Iwai of Japan (69) and Somi Lee of South Korea (69) tied for fourth at 6 under along with Joo, who posted 73.
“I personally think I was really focusing on myself. I was trying to do my best to stay mentally calm, and I think I still got to work on that a little more,” Joo said of her Sunday. “But I’m ready to learn more.”
