THE MODERATOR: Joining us after the final round of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern is our champion, Celine Boutier. Celine, it had been nearly a thousand days since your last win. How does it feel to finally get the job done?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, feels amazing. I definitely feel like I didn't expect it to come this week, but I feel like my game has been coming around the last few weeks, so very happy that it came today.
I feel like played very steady and solid all week, and especially today, so super happy with the way my game is. And then very happy to finally get another win.
Q. Yeah, no, you're now a two-time winner at this event. What does this event mean for you, and how does it feel to win here again?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it's very special. It was my first win on the LPGA in the U.S., so it was already a special tournament for me, but to be able to come back this year and win it again is definitely making it even more special.
I think I have such great memories on this course and I've met such cool people during the pro-ams and stuff like that. Yeah, I feel like this week is definitely a lot of really good memories and very excited to also come back next year and defend.
Q. Yeah, and then obviously U.S. Women's Open is next week. How is your confidence going to be coming straight off a win?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I mean, I think it's definitely always good to come back after a win. I think it's going to be a very different challenge for sure with different course conditions, but I'm excited to see what the course is going to be like.
Very, again, happy where my game is at, so let's see what I can do there.
Q. 2021 you were down five shots going into the final round; today I believe you were down four. What is it about this course or this tournament that enables people to come from behind on that final day and win? And because you did it in 2021, did you have extra confidence going into today's final round?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I mean, I definitely knew that it was going to be more scorable today. The wind conditions were a lot more calm, so I feel like there were going to be some low scores. I knew a lot of players had a chance to go for a win today.
I just trying to shoot the lower score, but I just didn't really pay too much attention to the leaderboard throughout my round. I was just focused on what I was doing.
But, yeah, I think it's one of those courses where if you hit the ball well you can shoot really low, but can be also very tricky, especially when the win starts to pick up.
So it's a little bit of both. Sometimes you can score low, but you can also shoot a few over if you're not being careful at times. So I think it's one of the tricks of this course.
Q. And can you take us through the putt on 14, the 35-footer there? What was it like to see that go in?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it was a very nice surprise. I was trying to focus on the speed because I could tell it was going to be -- it was uphill into the wind, so I could tell I had to give a little bit of a push.
When I hit it I thought it was a good line and the pace looked good, but almost a little bit too much, so I was trying to tell it to slow down a little bit, and then it just disappeared into the cup so it was a really fun surprise.
I definitely felt like that putt gave me a little bit of momentum and a lot of confidence for the last few holes.
Q. You mentioned two time winner here now. A lot of other players that have won here more than once Annika, Juli Inkster, Betsy King, Hall of Famers. What does it mean to put with your name on that list?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, was definitely not aware of that list. Definitely incredible to be among them. I definitely feel like I have a lot to do to even be remotely close to what they achieved in the sport. Yeah, obviously honored to be on the same list as these players.
Q. I think your day started where you met the girls from First Tee, and the girl who had cancer said she was your favorite player and you let her know she was going to be going to Disney World or something like that. What was it like to start your day delivering that news and finish with a championship?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I mean, it was really fun for me to be able to do that for her. I think, yeah, it was very humbling and very nice to be able to meet her. She was so excited. Yeah, definitely got my foot on the -- day on the right foot? Yeah, you know what I mean. Started my day well.
And then, yeah, she just was super excited and wished me luck. Then I saw her on a couple holes on the course, so it was really fun also for me to see her out there supporting me.
So I think it kind of went both ways.
Q. Congratulations. How differently did the golf course play from one day to the next this week because of the weather and the winds yesterday and that kind of thing?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I mean it was night and day. I feel like yesterday was the windiest I've ever experienced on this course. It's usually a little bit windy, but I have never really felt like it was going to be as much as yesterday.
So I think yesterday was really important for me because the first day the scores were pretty low, and then I knew the second day it wasn't going to be as low because of the wind, so I was just trying to make the putts and try to stay as close as possible to the lead, knowing that it would be shooting a little bit higher.
So I think yesterday was very important day.
Then today knowing the scores would be lower I tried to make as many birdies and be as aggressive as I could be to give myself a chance.
Q. How big a factor was your experience going into today, the fact that you've been in this situation so often? A lot of your challengers today were not. How much of an advantage was that for you?
CELINE BOUTIER: I'm not sure. I definitely feel like I do like when I'm coming a little bit from behind. Not as much as four shots obviously, but couple shots or shot or two. I think it's good mindset to have to just be able to be aggressive and go out there and try to chase a little bit.
I think that's a position that I like to be in, so I think for me it wasn't really so much maybe the experience, but, yeah, I just enjoy being in those situations. So I was just trying to make the most out of it.
Q. My last question: Looking ahead to next week and the Women's Open, what does it say about the increasing stature of women's golf that you're going to venues like Riviera to play a Women's Open?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it's super exciting. I definitely feel like it's been already a few years that we been lucky enough to be able to experience major championships on those major golf courses, and it's been such fun experiences and really good challenges.
So I'm really looking forward to going there and having that challenge of Riviera. I played it a few years ago, but it's going to be super interesting to see how the USGA sets it up. Very looking forward to a good week.
Q. Congratulations. By the way, I kind of wanted to expand on the idea of being chased or the chaser. What do you prefer, being the person chasing the winner or being the leader?
CELINE BOUTIER: I think I do like being a couple shots back and kind of having a little bit of a chasing situation. I think leading is nice, too, obviously.
But if I happen to be in this situation I'm very grateful for it. Also it's a different mindset I think, and sometimes you can play a little bit more conservative just trying to keep your lead or whatever.
I feel like when you're chasing you maybe are a little bit more aggressive and you play a little bit more like, -- yeah, just aggressive I think.
So I think that's something that I enjoy. But, yeah, I don't mind either. (Smiling.)
Q. Granting somebody's wish today, did that give you any extra inspiration or strength to go out there and get the victory today?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I think it was definitely very -- a good feeling to be able to give some good news, to see the excitement, and to be also one of her favorite players is something that's -- I take that pretty seriously.
I thought it was super cool that she was watching us and she was there to also support and watch the tournament.
So I thought it was a really cool experience and it kind of set me up in a good mood for the day for sure.
Q. Last question from me, too. So just overall, how are you feeling and how much confidence does this give you going into Riviera?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I'm very happy. I mean, obviously very happy. I think it's been a long time coming and I'm just not really sure if it's really like sunk in yet.
I feel like I'm just really excited to get to LA and just experiencing the course. Yeah, I'm just kind of focused on the next challenge ahead, so it's going to be, yeah, a good week, too.
Q. Congratulations again on the victory. What was it like seeing Evelyn throughout the course today? And you said gave you a little extra motivation. Did you think of her, maybe I have to win it for her?
CELINE BOUTIER: I wouldn't say so, but it definitely felt very heartwarming to see her on the course and watching me after I had the chance to meet her. I definitely feel like we had a little bit of connection there. Seeing her at the end as well was super cool.
So I think obviously I wanted to do my best, but I wouldn't say that I put extra pressure or anything. I was just grateful she was watching.
Q. Can you expand on the connection between you guys?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I think any time you get to connect with somebody like her, like a child or she's experiencing cancer as well and she's a huge golf fan, and I think just whatever she goes through and the fact that I was able to give her such good news and was just something I think very special for me.
I was very honored to be able to do that, yeah.
Q. And lastly, when you found out that you were going to meet her and tell her she was going to Disney and Universal, what was that feeling like for you?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I was kind of surprised that they asked me, to be honest. Yeah, I was kind of excited. Like who doesn't want to go to Disney? I was kind of like, yeah, that would be super cool to be able to do that. If can have any kind of impact, it would be amazing obviously.
Q. Congratulations, Celine. Evelyn says she's your good luck charm. Will you be able to find a way get her to Riviera?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I'm not sure. She definitely was a good luck for me today, so, yeah, it was super nice to be able to experience that with her and seeing her with -- at the trophy ceremony as well after the round was pretty cool.
Q. Wondering, I know you do a lot in the community, but have you ever done something like that where you've helped deliver that kind of news to somebody or visited hospitals and talked to children who have gone through a lot before?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, I've had this opportunity before and it's always very special. I also started last year being the ambassador for Make a Wish in France, so very excited about that as well.
It's such a cool way to give back and be able to grant those wishes to children in need. So I think that's a very cool initiative and it was very -- I mean, I was very, yeah, humbled to see also and honored to have that opportunity today.
Q. Last one and I'll close it out. You answered earlier about the multiple winners here, Betsy King, Juli Inkster, Annika, you are on that list with this tournament. It's one of the longest running tournaments on the LPGA Tour. You played this every year. Two-time champion. As a player, to be a two-time champ for this event and coming back every year, what does it mean to you to have sponsors and partners like this on the LPGA Tour that support you guys and support what you're doing and also try to elevate women's golf year-round?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it's super cool. Obviously personally I have great memories coming here. The course and is setup is awesome, so I like coming back. But just the history of it is super cool. The fact that Anne Marie Palli is a French player and I see her every year and the fact that she also won this tournaments, that we won the same, is so cool to be able to share that.
It's only happening because that's the longest running event on LPGA, so I think that's a really cool thing to be a part of. And to be able come here and see how the tournament evolves and gets bigger every year is also something very cool.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Celine.
CELINE BOUTIER: Thank you.
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