HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

February 28, 2024

Celine Boutier

Sentosa Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We will get things started here. Welcome Celine Boutier to the Media Centre at the HSBC Women's World Championship.

This is your fifth start here, and your best finish here being a tie for 11th. What do you enjoy most about coming back to this tournament every year?

CELINE BOUTIER: I like Singapore in general, so I always enjoy coming here. I think the organisation is always nice and I like to be, you know, in the city, other stuff to do outside of golf, and the golf course is also always in immaculate condition, so it's always nice to come here.

THE MODERATOR: And speaking of the golf course, there was a new bunker added to 18 this year. How do you think that changes your strategy on 18 for this year?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I think it makes it definitely harder. The line is going to be more towards the right and it makes the fairway more narrow, and I think yeah, I think it's definitely a little bit more tricky, especially maybe for the right pins or back right.

So I think it's a good addition. Definitely look the like they have done a really good job with it, too. The bunker looks really great. So I think it was a good addition, and definitely makes it harder.

THE MODERATOR: And you mentioned the course conditions being here always being nice. What specifically can you say? The greens, tee boxes, things like that?

CELINE BOUTIER: I mean, really, everything from the tee to the green and I think the greens are very fast this week, in particular, and quite firm.

So it's definitely a game of precision and knowing where to land because you get quite a bit of release sometimes. So yeah, it's definitely good again this year.

THE MODERATOR: I saw a few photos and content from your with photo call this week. How was that experience?

CELINE BOUTIER: It was really fun. We got to see an attraction that's open this week or next week. So it was cool to see it beforehand, and it was cool for all the people the players, as well. So it was a fun experience.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned earlier about the support in Singapore. What can you say about the fans and the community here in Singapore. I noticed a lot of banners and different posters around the city.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, definitely. I feel like this city and country is very much behind golf, and especially women's golf, I feel like since we've been here, it's just always been nice and I think a lot of players enjoy coming just because the experience is so smooth and very nice from, really, every perspective.

THE MODERATOR: And we talked a little about it before, but you won four times last year, including one major championship. How would you describe your year as a whole?

CELINE BOUTIER: Last year or this year? Last year was definitely a very good year for me. I think I could not have imagined for it to go better. I feel like I was able to take advantage of the few opportunities that I got when I was in contention, so that was definitely very positive, and it is definitely going to be one of the seasons I remember just because of the wins, but also getting my first major.

THE MODERATOR: And when you're sitting down at the end of the year, maybe in the off-season looking at how you're going to write your goals for 2024 and you've had such a stellar year last year, how do you go about doing that, not putting so much pressure on yourself.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it's difficult testify but I think a lot of the goals will be the same. Most important, I will focus on my game and how I can get it better from one week to another, I think that's taking off the pressure of performing and having -- you know, trying to get as many wins or more wins than last year, which I think is kind of tough.

So I'm just going to focus and try to focus on each week at a time.

Q. The fans in Asia have fond memories from last year. I wanted to check -- can you talk about the pressure -- and also being ranked 13th in the world right now, maybe share on goals to get to the top of the rankings?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I think for the first question about pressure, the key for me has been experience, honestly, because it's hard to really know how you're going to react and how you're going to feel in the situation, and that's to experience it; and then the more you experience it, the more you feel comfortable with it and you learn how to deal with it. I think that was the main thing for me that I learned from 2022, and I was able to handle it better in '23, so I hope it keeps going that direction.

And then as far as my goals for this year, I'm not really worried too much about rankings personally. I think obviously it would be a huge deal to be able to get to No. 1, but again, I'm just trying to focus mostly on the week-to-week and try to put myself in position as much as I can.

Q. How much decision-making do you put into your equipment versus your coaching team?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think ultimately, the decision comes to me just because it's a lot about the numbers and data. But it's also about how comfortable you feel when pure over it and if you can trust the club to do what you want it to do.

So I think part of it is definitely the data but also you have -- the look has to be right, and you have to feel comfortable that you can trust the numbers.

THE MODERATOR: Yesterday we saw Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang compete in Capital One's, "The Match." I don't know if you saw any content from it. But how does the coverage like that help the women's game and the LPGA as a whole?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think it's huge because I feel like we don't really get the same opportunities as the men, and I think to be able to be included in such a fun format, and especially with some of the best players on the men's tour, is definitely bringing more attention to the women. And then I think that's also how curiosity and being open-minded to even just check out those events, and then you have hopefully some interest in watching more of the LPGA and following more of the women's golf, and I think that's how we get to grow our fan base and get more interest and viewership.