Celine Boutier fired a low round of the day at Boca Rio Golf Club on Friday with a bogey-free, 5-under par 67 in the second round of the Gainbridge LPGA.
Facing WNW winds at 7-14 mph and gusts up to 20 mph much of the afternoon, Boutier adapted to the conditions to find success. The two-time LPGA Tour champion jumped from a tie for 63rd into a tie for ninth at the halfway point in Boca Raton.
“I played very well from tee to green and didn’t really miss many greens, so that definitely helped,” said Boutier, who hit 17 greens in regulation. “Then I made some pretty decent putts as well on the back (my first nine). I played very steady and gave myself a lot of chances.
“I made a really long putt on No. 15 which started to get me going. I think it was like 25 feet.”
With the forecast calling for even windier and cooler conditions over the weekend, Boutier isn’t shying away from the challenge. She also mentioned how competing in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and coming away with a tied for fourth result provided an immediate boost to begin her 2022 campaign.
“The tougher it is, the better it is for me because I have to be more focused and pay more attention,” said Boutier, who won the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. “It was nice to have a good result last week and give me a little bit of confidence for this week.”