After a 166-day COVID-19 enforced break, the LPGA Tour restarted in Ohio last week at the LPGA Drive On Championship. Coming agonizingly close to a win, we caught up with PXG’s LPGA star, Celine Boutier, after she registered a birdie fueled back nine charge, finishing just one shot short of the eventual winner.
HOW DID IT FEEL TO FINALLY GET BACK TO TOURNAMENT PLAY THIS WEEK?
It felt really good to be playing on Tour again and even better to be on such a great golf course like Inverness!
YOU CHOSE TO REMAIN STATESIDE DURING THE 166-DAY LPGA BREAK. HOW DID YOU SPEND THAT TIME?
Luckily, my golf course was open pretty much the whole time, but I did play more tennis and took up gun shooting!
YOU ENJOYED A GREAT START TO THE 2019/20 SEASON – WERE YOU WORRIED THAT THE BREAK FROM TOURNAMENT PLAY MIGHT IMPACT YOUR RUN OF FORM?
Yes, for sure. But it did help that my course was open so, after a two-week break, I went back to practicing to keep my form.
YOU WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE 2019 SOLHEIM CUP TEAM GOING 4-0-0 AT GLENEAGLES. THIS WEEK’S 2ND PLACE RESULT AT THE 2021 SOLHEIM CUP VENUE MUST FEEL GOOD!?
Yes, for sure! I know that I can play well on this course. I like the layout and the greens a lot. I think it will be a great venue for the Solheim Cup next year!
YOU SEEM TO RELISH HEAD-TO-HEAD PLAY – DESCRIBE YOUR MINDSET TODAY, GOING INTO THE BACK NINE AND KNOWING YOU’RE IN CONTENTION.
It was definitely more stressful than the rest of the tournament, but you want to be in that position as much as possible. I knew that the last four holes were tough, so I tried to get myself in position to make a birdie. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for me on 18, but I did give myself the opportunity and can only learn from what I could have improved on.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR MOST MEMORABLE SHOT THIS WEEK?
Probably my shot on the par-3 12th hole on the last day where I almost holed out using my PXG 0311 GEN3 9-Iron.
YOU’VE ENJOYED THREE TOP 10S FROM FOUR TOURNAMENTS ALREADY IN 2020. WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON TO KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING?
Focusing on each week at a time and trying to do my best to prepare and stay fresh physically and mentally.
NEXT UP IS THE MARATHON CLASSIC – IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’LL BE WORKING ON BEFORE TEEING IT UP?
Getting used to the speed and softness of the greens which will be different from last week.
We look forward to watching Celine and our LPGA ladies battle it out as they tackle Highland Meadows Golf Club for the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, beginning August 6th.
