Celine Boutier recorded a birdie on the ninth playoff hole to defeat Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul on Sunday at the Maybank Championship at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
After battling through eight holes and weathering the storm of a 90-minute storm delay, Boutier sank a 6-foot putt at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course to clinch her fourth title of the season and sixth in her career.
The nine-hole playoff tied the record for second-longest in LPGA Tour history.
“Yeah, I didn’t expect it to be that long, to be honest,” said Boutier, who carded a bogey-free round to finish at 8-under-par 64 on Sunday and 21-under 267 for the tournament. The 29-year-old Frenchwoman highlighted her stretch with birdies on Nos. 3-5 and 11-13 en route to pocketing $450,000 for her first-place finish.
“I was just trying to do my best each hole and each time I had an opportunity to have a playoff, and I feel like we were both very close to winning a few times, and I just feel like we just had to make a birdie, essentially,” Boutier said. “I knew she wasn’t going to make a mistake, so I had to go for it and give myself the best chances for birdies. I feel like she’s an amazing player, and so I feel like it was definitely nerve-racking, but I just feel very happy to have held on for that long.”
Thitikul birdied the 18th hole to finish with a 68 on Sunday. As for the playoff, well …
“It’s exhausting. It’s like — it’s pretty tiring, to be honest. But I think it’s the best playoff I ever had in my life. Even if I lose, but I feel like, oh, damn, we played so good,” she said. “… I feel a lot more confident with my game now. I fought really hard on the playoff, and both of us are hitting really great shots and it paid off. It just goes to someone who did it better.”
Rookie sensation Rose Zhang, who held a one-stroke lead heading into the final round, carded a 71 on Sunday to end up in a tie for third place at 19 under with Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura (70).
“I felt like it was a really incredible week for me. It’s been a while since I’ve been in contention, in the top 10, and I just feel really lucky to be in that position,” Zhang said. “I still have lots to learn, lots to improve on, but I feel like it’s all up from here. Really glad to have everyone supporting me. It is just really good to be out there and keep playing my game.”
Peiyun Chien (68) of Taiwan was fifth at 18-under 270, while Nelly Korda (66) and Canadian Brooke Henderson (66) finished tied for sixth at 17 under.
–Field Level Media
