Sanya: A string of four consecutive birdies made the difference for Celine Boutier yesterday as the French rookie captured the Sanya Ladies Open in commanding fashion with a four-stroke victory in Hainan Island.
Boutier, who held a share of the lead or led throughout the 54-hole tournament, closed with a final round 68 to finish on 12-under 204. Her victory in the China LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and Asian Ladies Golf Tour co-sanctioned event was worth €45,000 (approximately 1.8 million baht).
South Korea's Lee Solar (69) was a distant second, while Icelander Valdis Thora Jonsdottir (72) was third, five shots off the pace at Yalong Bay Golf Club.
Prima Thammaraks shot a closing 72 as she missed out on her third win of the year. She was tied for fourth place alongside fellow Thai Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras (69) and Amanda Tan (68) of Singapore. The trio finished on 210, six shots off the pace.
Thidapa Suwannapuru (69), Pavarisa Yoktuan (70), Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul (69), Wichanee Meechai (71) and Spain's Marta Sanz Barrio (70) were joint seventh on 211.
Lin Xiyu (68), Liu Ruixin (72) and Pan Yanhong (73) were the top Chinese in the 125-player field, finishing 10 shots off the winning mark.
Boutier started the day with a one-shot lead and gave the field a chance when she dropped consecutive shots starting at the fourth hole to fall to six under. She then rebounded with a birdie four at the 515-yard ninth and never looked back.
With four consecutive birdies from the 11th hole and another at the 16th hole, the 24-year-old Montrouge native cruised to her third victory of the year.