New British champion Boutier says she will turn
pro before next year's tournament at Dundonald
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TAiMmRM0W_k/VX3kl_vJMSI/AAAAAAAArVs/9SrCXvb_s34/s640/CELINE%2BBOUTIER%2BDRIVING%2B1%2BJUN%2B2015.jpg)
The only golf writer at PortStewart Golf Club
Next year's British women's open amateur championship will be played in Ayrshire but Celine Boutier, the 21-year-old No 3 seed from Paris, winner of the title by 4 and 3 in a windswept final against 18-year-old Swedish player Linnea Strom from Gothenburg, will NOT be defending the title at Dundonald Links.
"I start my final year at Duke University, North Carolina in August," said fluent English speaker Celine, who is studying psychology, economics, marketing and business managemengt.
"I am planning to enter the next Ladies European Tour Qualifying School and, anyway, I will turn pro at end of the 2015-2016 college term, which is before the British championship next year."
Boutier, who lost in the final of the 2011 British girls championship final at Gullane, has an amateur CV that would suggest she has the talent to make the grade as a tour pro.
Beaten finalist on Saturday, Linnea Strom, pictured below with the beaten finalist's trophy, says she will definitely play in the championship at Dundonald Links.
"If, as you tell me, Celine Boutier is not going to defend the title, then I must have a chance of going one better in her absence," laughed the Swedish blonde.
Strom says she played her best golf of the week to beat Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) by 5 and 4 in the Saturday morning semi-finals. She won only two holes from Boutier in the final.
Coincidentally, both Strom and Mehaffey will be enrolling at Arizona University in August.
BRITISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Portstewart Golf Club, Northern Ireland
SEMI-FINALS
Linnea Strom (Sweden) bt Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) 5 and 4.
Celine Boutier (France) bt Charlotte De Corte (Belgium) 3 and 2.
FINAL (18 holes)
Boutier bt Strom 4 and 3.
Labels: Amateur Ladies
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