FREED GROUP WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

August 5, 2023

Celine Boutier

Dundonald Links

Quick Quotes

Q. You're making golf look easy at the moment to the viewer. But is it easy for you out there?

CELINE BOUTIER: I mean, I definitely feel like I'm hitting a lot of good shots, which I nice. Sometimes you envision shots and it doesn't always happen. I feel like today a lot happened the way I saw it. So it was very positive. And, yeah, very happy with my round.

Q. And you're just getting better and better. Each day you're shooting lower and lower. I mean, what are you doing that's working so well for you out there this week?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think I'm just trying to hit, you know, as many good shots as possible. I'm trying to, you know, stay focused. And I feel like this course is pretty challenging with the weather conditions. And so I'm just trying to, you know, hit the best shots possible under the circumstances.

Q. Clearly, confidence is high at the moment. You said to me the other day your energy levels were starting to drop. But I guess when you're playing good golf, it's quite easy to keep yourself going. Is that fair?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I think so. I feel like when you're playing well, it's easier to be positive about it. And then I kind of made a bogey on 9, which kind of also like fired me up a little bit. So it kind of was nice to get some more energy going.

Q. And one more push tomorrow. It's just about keeping the momentum, I guess.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, just going to try to hopefully play the same and stick to my game plan and see what happens.

Q. Celine, on a roll, last week, this week. Is it momentum? Is it good playing? What is it that you think finds yourself at the top?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think kind of both. I feel like I've definitely been playing well and the fact that I got a good result last week also is giving me a little bit of confidence. And just trying to build off of that, and hopefully a good, solid round tomorrow.

Q. Maybe not the worst day in terms of wind, but we had rain, so you had bad weather out there. You've sort of experienced it all this week. What's been the key to keep you going well?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, the temperature definitely dropped a lot. And then with the rain, it was not the easiest, for sure. But like the wind also dropped, so it was actually not too bad.

And I feel like the rain wasn't really heavy at all. I mean, I expected a lot worse, to be honest. So I feel like I was pretty happy with the way it turned out, and we are just trying to stay patient and hit as many good shots as possible.

Q. You seem to be adapting your game, or it looks like you're adapting it where we are in Scotland, a lot of low follow-throughs, a lot of half shots, you know, keeping the ball low is what it seems like. Are you changing things just for this week, or is it something that you feel you're able to do quite freely?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I feel like in general my ball flight is a little bit lower. So I feel like to me this adjustment and with these conditions is relatively easier to do it. And, you know, hitting it high and trying to stop it on the wind for me, that's harder to do. So I feel like it's definitely suiting my eye and my game a little bit better.

Q. On the greens, like different story, just seems things are normal, holing lots of putts especially. Nice one on 17. Were those sort of the key things today?

CELINE BOUTIER: Honestly, just try not to overthink the lines and hit some solid and aggressive putts. I feel like that was really helpful because, you know, sometimes you can question your lines a little bit. They're a little bit trick key to read sometimes, there's double breakers and stuff like that. So I've definitely made a point to not really overthink it.

Q. And some French fans as well. A lot of Frenchmen both in the audience, is it friends' parents that came over to watch you?

CELINE BOUTIER: There aren't many parents out here, but I definitely heard some French words and stuff like that from outside, and I'm pretty sure it's not from my family. So it's nice to see that some Frenchmen come to the tournament.

Q. As the round was coming to an end, you were hot, you were playing with strength, whereas your playing partners were struggling in the conditions. What is it that you had the momentum, but why do you think you were able to fight through the conditions and keep playing well?

CELINE BOUTIER: I'm not too sure. I feel like I definitely hit a lot of good shots off the tee and my approach shots have been good. So whenever I had the opportunities for birdies, you know, I definitely tried to make it.

I feel like it was a little bit more challenging sometimes just because they moved some of the tees and you had to be very cautious with the lines and stuff like that. But I think we did a pretty good job with my caddie and strategy.

Q. So course management was keeping you on the straight and narrow, then?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think so. And I think the wind dropped also a little bit. So it was a little bit easier to be more aggressive and be decisive.

Q. You obviously played feeling the most confident you've ever felt. Can you put into words on the course, you've had a great win last week, you're playing great this week. Are you enjoying it more? What's it feel like for this amazing run you're having, like inside, if you can articulate?

CELINE BOUTIER: It's been great. I feel like, like I said, I've been hitting a lot of good shots, which is nice to see, and I feel like my expectations have definitely been higher. Like even when I miss a good shot or I make a bogey, I definitely get more annoyed. So I definitely have to keep my, you know, expectations kind of like level and not get too far ahead of myself.

But, no, it's been very nice to be able to see my game in good form.

Q. I was wondering that, if you felt more frustrated when you miss one, or do you think, I won last week, it's okay?

CELINE BOUTIER: I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, so I do hate making bogeys. Yeah.

Q. Yeah, well luckily not too many. Thank you.