Boutier, Ciganda among four-way tie for lead at Meijer LPGA Classic
Celine Boutier of France is part of a four-way tie for the lead after two rounds of the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan (Raj Mehta)
Celine Boutier had seven birdies and three bogeys in a rollercoaster four-under-par 68 on Friday to join Carlota Ciganda, Choi Hye-jin and Karis Davidson atop the leaderboard midway through the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
France's Boutier coped admirably with the breezy conditions at Blythefield Country Club to put herself in position to challenge for a seventh LPGA title and a first since she claimed three in 2023.
Advertisement
Ciganda and Choi both shot five-under-par 67s to join her on eight-under 136 while Davidson had two birdies in her last three holes in a two-under 70.
"Very satisfied with my round," Boutier said. "I feel like I made a lot of birdies, a few bogeys as well but I was able to handle the wind quite well today and was able to make a few putts, which really helped me out."
Boutier, 31, teed off on 10 and birdied the 12th and 14th, then followed a bogey at 15 with birdies at 16 and 18.
She gave a stroke back at the first, birdied the third and fifth and after a bogey at the seventh birdied the eighth to seize her share of the lead.
Advertisement
"I definitely feel like today you had to take into account the wind a little bit more," Boutier said. "Even putting and stuff, sometimes you have to back out a little bit because it was kind of gusty."
Ciganda had seven birdies and two bogeys in a five-under round she called "very solid".
"Stayed patient out there," Ciganda, a two-time LPGA winner, said.
"The back nine I hit good shots and made really good putts coming in," added the Spaniard, who needed 28 putts for the round.
Choi Hye-jin, who is seeking her first LPGA title, had six birdies and a bogey, seizing her share of the lead with birdies at the 16th and 18th.
Advertisement
The leading trio had a one-shot lead over a group of six players on a congested leaderboard.
Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Americans Lexi Thompson and Amanda Doherty, England's Bronte Law, Australian Minjee Lee and Paraguay's Sofia Garcia were all tied on 137.
Australian Grace Kim, who started the day one shot off the lead, was tied atop the leaderboard at eight-under before two late bogeys and finished the day among another a half-dozen players sharing 11th on 138 -- just two shots off the lead.
Overnight leader Lee Mi-hyang of South Korea carded a three-over 75 and was in a group of eight players on 139.
bb/rcw
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
International player trying out at Broncos mandatory minicamp
The Denver Broncos are taking a look at another Australian-born player. Among the seven players trying out at mandatory minicamp this week is Patrick Murtagh, a 25-year-old tight end who was a decathlete growing up before later switching to Australian rules football. He was rostered by the Gold Coast Football Club from 2020-2022 before joining the NFL's international player pathway program in 2023. Advertisement Murtagh had a brief stint with the Detroit Lions early in 2023 that was cut short by a medical issue. He then went to training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, spending the regular season on injured reserve. The Jags waived the tight end this spring. The Broncos (and all 32 NFL teams) are allowed to carry an extra international player on the practice squad during the regular season. So if Denver signs a player like Murtagh and he ends up on the practice squad, he would not count against the 16-player limit. Teams also get an extra active roster spot for an international player during the offseason. Right now, Australian punter Jeremy Crawshaw is the team's designated international player, and he does not count against the 90-man offseason roster limit. Advertisement Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans. This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Australian tight end trying out at minicamp
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Veteran linebacker trying out for Broncos at mandatory minicamp
The list of seven players trying out for the Denver Broncos at mandatory minicamp this week includes Austin Ekeler's younger brother, an Australian tight end and a veteran inside linebacker. The linebacker is Milo Eifler, a 27-year-old defender who played college football at Washington and Illinois. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets in 2021. Eifler has spent time with five NFL teams since then, most recently spending part of the 2024 season with the Arizona Cardinals. Advertisement Eifler (6-1, 228 pounds) appeared in 13 games with the Washington Football Team/Commanders from 2021-2022, totaling four tackles on defense. He also played 259 snaps on special teams while playing in D.C. Eifler has appeared in 17 regular season games in his career, but he has never started. The Broncos are presumably giving him a look as a potential special teams contributor. Minicamp will wrap up on Thursday. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans. This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: LB Milo Eifler trying out at minicamp
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
US Open 2025: Third-round tee times
Rory McIlroy scraped through to the weekend after a torrid start to his second round, and not before his temper boiled over on a couple of occasions -Rory McIlory recovered from a nightmare start to scrape into the weekend at Oakmont – indeed, he played the last 15 holes in two under – but his second round yesterday will be remembered more for the wrong reasons. Namely, for hurling his driving iron on the par-five 12th after pushing his second shot and then, on the drivable 17th, pulling it and taking out his anger on the marker that was destroyed in the process. For the sixth day at a major in succession, he refused to talk to the press. World No1 Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, had his own struggles in a round of 71, the 11/4 pre-tournament bookmakers' favourite just preserving his record of having not missed a cut in the past three years. The Texan, coming here on the back of three victories in his last four starts, including last month's US PGA Championship, said: 'I battled really hard. It's incredibly challenging out there. I felt like getting away with one-over today wasn't all that bad. It could have been a lot worse. Advertisement 'I don't think I'm out of the tournament. At the US Open I don't think you're ever out of the tournament.' Listening to Jon Rahm after a 75 left him on the same mark as Scheffler was to hear a sportsman at his wit's end. 'I didn't make a putt, that was the main difference [having shot a 69 in the first round],' the Spaniard said. 'I didn't play badly, I played well. But I didn't see anything go in beside a seven-footer on the seventh. That's it. That's a very hard thing to deal with to try to shoot a score out here. Honestly, I'm too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective. Very frustrated.' At least they will all be here for the business end. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau fared even worse, a 77 leaving him on 10-over and missing the cut. US Ryder Cup player Sam Burns showed what is possible around here with a stunning 65. The 22-footer for par on the ninth was merely the latest evidence for his reputation as one of the best putters on the circuit and he sits atop the leaderboard on three-under, one shot clear of fellow American JJ Spaun with Norwegian Viktor Hovland on one-under, the only other player in credit on this beast of a course. Advertisement Thirteen players did not complete round 2 after play was suspended due to dangerous weather and darkness. They will resume this morning at 7.30am local time (12.30pm BST). Tee times for day three to follow. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
