Celine Boutier is 18 holes away from winning her first major championship on her home soil.
Boutier shot a 4-under-par 67 Saturday to build a three-stroke lead after three rounds of the Evian Championship on Saturday in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Boutier was born in Clamart, France, a little more than five hours southeast of Evian Resort Golf Club. The 29-year-old has won three times on the LPGA Tour but is seeking her first major. Her previous best finish at the Evian in particular was T29 on two occasions.
Boutier sank four birdies on the front nine to start her third round with a 4-under 31 going out. She made one bogey and one birdie the rest of the way, and the chasing pack, though filled with major champions, could not close the gap.
Japan’s Nasa Hataoka shot a 68 to move into sole possession of second place at 8 under. Hataoka lost a playoff to Yuka Saso of Japan at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open and is vying for her first major title as well.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson of Canada moved into contention at 7 under with a roller-coaster 67. Henderson rolled in six birdies for a front-nine 29 that got her to 9 under on the leaderboard, but a double bogey at the par-4 12th brought her back to the pack.
Henderson is tied with Australia’s Minjee Lee (66 Saturday).
The round of the day was Nelly Korda’s bogey-free, 7-under 64. The World No. 2 climbed to 6 under for the championship, tied for fifth with Saso (71).
–Field Level Media