AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

July 30, 2026

Celine Boutier

Mixed Zone

Q. Well done. Bogey-free on your opening round here. Just how pleased are you with this a links golf course?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, very happy with this opening round. Any time on this course, any time you go bogey-free is always going to be a good round.

Very happy with the way I played and the way that I was able to save a lot of pars and also have a lot of birdie opportunities out there.

So it was definitely much more enjoyable.

Q. I was going to say, you put yourself in a lot of good positions out on the golf course. Just talk us through the eagle on six.

CELINE BOUTIER: Yes, I was able to hit a solid 6-iron on my second shot and reach it in two. I had about a 20-footer or so, slightly uphill and right to left, so tried to give it a good run and it kind of like went around the hole and went in so it was a nice surprise.

I honestly thought it was going lip-out, but, yeah, happy that it went in.

Q. I was going to say, the fact that it went 360 when you were watching it, did it go in slow motion?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, well I saw it turn and go kind of left so I thought it was just a lip-out, and then it just dropped at the last minute so I was just like oh, wow. Good surprise, yes.

Q. In terms of your game what was the best part of it today? What do you think you were doing the best out there?

CELINE BOUTIER: I think -- I mean, everything has been solid, but I think I was able to hit a lot of fairways off the tee, and I think my strategy has been really good and solid today and helped me put myself in better positions to make myself on the green and have some birdie chances.

So I think it was probably what paid off today.

Q. How important is it to have a strategy around a golf course like this where there are so many bunkers and hazards everywhere?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it's so important because the bunkers are like deadly, especially the ones off the first tee. You definitely have to be on the fairway. If you add the wind and stuff it's not easy to always make a club selection from the tee, so it's definitely something that I was trying to pay attention to.

Q. Just a word on the crowds, on the number of people out today. There were loads of people opening day of the tournament. Just how great is that to see?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, so many people already even yesterday, which was kind of surprising. But like today even more, so always fun. I think the British Open is always one of the most fun weeks because you always know there will be a lot of golf fans, and I feel like they really appreciate the level of golf that we can showcase out here.

It's very nice to be able to see that many people.

Q. Finally, what have you done over the past two weeks since Evian in your time off preparing for this week?

CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, went back to Dallas to be able to work with my coach last week, so that was pretty key I think to me performing this week.

Obviously I wasn't really hitting and performing as well the last few weeks, so I feel like I really needed to get my confidence going into this week.

I think that's already starting to pay off a little bit which is pretty satisfying.