Celine Boutier of France shot a 64 to take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore on Friday.
Ayaka Furue sits in second place after firing a 67, giving her a 6-under 138 for the tournament. Sweden’s Madalene Sagstrom posted a 68 to end the round in third place, two shots back, with five players tied for fourth place at 4-under 140 playing The Tanjong Course at the Sentosa Golf Club.
Among that group is first-round leader Sarah Schmelzel, who shot a 72 on Friday after an opening-round 68.
Boutier, a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is co-leader or leader after a round for the first time in the 2024 season.
Boutier was 30th after her opening-round 73. In windy, 90-degree weather, Boutier — starting on the back nine — recorded three birdies on that side and added five more on her closing nine to finish the first two rounds at 7-under. She birdied all four par-5 holes.
“I don’t know that I feel really comfortable or at ease. I think with this field and with so many great players, you’re never really too far ahead,” Boutier said of the one-shot lead. “I’m just trying to take it one round at a time and hopefully post another solid round tomorrow and put myself in a better position — and I hope no playoff.”
Furue steadied following bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4, both par-4 holes. But she followed with seven birdies, including four straight on Nos. 12 to 15, to close to one back of Boutier.
Sagstrom, who finished in the top 10 last week at the Honda LPGA Thailand, is gaining confidence after her four-birdie round on Friday and two rounds without a bogey.
“I feel like those two rounds showed to myself that my game is in a good place,” Sagstrom said. “I also figured out what I needed to work on mentally last weekend to give myself chances and not hit the brake button and keep pushing. I feel like that’s easy for me to do. I can get a little timid and scared and hold on for dear life rather than keep pushing. The girls are so good. You can’t stop.”
Joining Schmelzel in fourth place are Peiyun Chien of Taiwan, South Korean Hyo-Hoo Kim, Nasa Hataoka of Japan and Australian Stephanie Kyriacou.
–Field Level Media
