(Photo credit score: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
Celine Boutier inched nearer to her second title in as many weeks after seizing a three-stroke lead following the third spherical of the Women’s Scottish Open on Saturday in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Boutier, who captured her first main title finally week’s Evian Championship in her native France, carded a 6-under-par Saturday to spice up her match rating to 13-under 203 at Dundonald Links.
Boutier, 29, collected eight birdies — together with 4 on her first seven holes — towards simply two bogeys to take the lead over Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit (66 on Saturday) and Sweden’s Maja Stark (72).
Tavatanakit rose up the leaderboard on the power of two eagles — on the par-5 Nos. 3 and 14 holes — and three birdies. She is bidding for her first win since her maiden Tour victory on the 2021 ANA Inspiration.
Stark made a birdie on the tenth gap to maneuver as much as 13-under, nonetheless bogeys on three of her last eight holes knocked her right into a tie for second place. She is looking for her second LPGA Tour title after profitable the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland.
Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom (68) benefited from a birdie on the 18th to take a seat alone in fourth place at 9-under.
“I feel — my game feels good. So I’m just going to keep having this game plan and keep having the same feelings,” Sagstrom mentioned. “Hopefully that still works out on the range. And then just hope the putter gets hot. That’s all I can hope for.”
Sagstrom was one stroke forward of Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup (68) and two in entrance of the trio of second-round chief Hinako Shibuno (77) of Japan, Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall (67) and Australian Sarah Kemp (72).
Defending champion Ayaka Furue of Japan shot a 69 on Saturday to take a seat in a tie for thirty seventh at even-par for the match.
–Field Level Media