HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

March 4, 2023

Celine Boutier

Sentosa Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are here with Celine Boutier, 5-under 67. In these conditions, to go bogey-free is an incredible round, and a nice little 14-footer on the last. Just walk me through your day and especially the putt on the last.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah. It was very solid round. I didn't realize I went bogey-free but yeah, just a really good start to my day. A few birdies on par 3s and a good eagle on No. 8 that really helped me get going.

And I feel like on the back nine, just stayed really patient and playing really solid and had a few opportunities, didn't make them but did make a good save on 18 which really helped me save the day. I feel like some of the pins were very tricky so you just have to play very smart and very patient. You have to know when to be aggressive and when to just take a par and I feel like I managed that receipt well today.

THE MODERATOR: The birdie on 7, eagle on 8; walk me through that two-hole stretch.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I hit a really good shot on No. 7 and made about maybe nine, ten feet for birdie.

And then they moved the tee up on No. 8 which is a par 5, was able to just be on the right side of the green. Had a little chip, a little bit downhill, right-to-left, and pulled it out so it was nice.

THE MODERATOR: Patience is the name of the game this week. How have you managed to stay patient and manage your expectations based on the conditions?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think coming into today, I really had no expectations because I didn't know what to expect. Like I wasn't sure if we were going to get through the whole 18. I wasn't sure if we were going to have to wait again, a few hours like yesterday or if we were even going to get the round finished.

I tried to play well the few holes that I was going to play today, and we just try to keep it one shot at a time. I feel like definitely patient is very key because you have such long days.

Q. Since your last win, you've had a couple of top 10s, and you mentioned tensing up in the final found. How do you feel now near the top of the leaderboard going into the final round in contention?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, hopefully I learned from the past few years. I think I'm a little bit more patient these days and I feel like in Thailand I really was able to stay really calm the final round, which I was in the last group with two Thai players, so it would have been really easy to get tensed up. I feel like I managed that really well which gave me a lot of confidence, and I feel like hopefully today I can do the same.

THE MODERATOR: We'll just wrap it up with one more from me.

You like these weather conditions. I feel like the last few times you've played really well in tournaments it's been like this. With that in your mind and playing so well, looking ahead to tomorrow, what do you think; you could be chasing a little bit.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, tomorrow will depend on the weather, too. So I feel like I'm just going to take it one hole at a time just like today. I definitely feel like when the weather conditions are challenging, it just makes me focus a little bit more and I'm able to stay more present.

I feel like I do always enjoy a bit of a challenge. I don't like when it's too easy and it's scoring too low. I feel like hopefully tomorrow, a little bit of wind, not too much rain, but a little bit of wind would be good.