There was another 2024 Paris Olympics fairytale brewing after Round 1 of the women’s golf tournament at Le Golf National ended Wednesday.
Celine Boutier of France raced out to a three-shot lead on the rest of the 60-golfer field, shooting a 7-under 65 in front of a large home crowd that roared its approval and created an atmosphere on course that drew raves. She had eight birdies, including three in a row on the back nine to pull ahead.
Boutier, 30, played college golf at Duke and said watching the Olympic men's tournament last week helped her prepare for the conditions and environment.
“It was very encouraging and very motivating,” Boutier told Golf Channel about the support she got during her round.
Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa sits in silver medal position after the first round, carding a 4-under 68. American Lilia Vu, who played in the same group with Boutier, is in contention, tied for third on the leaderboard with three others at 2-under. World No. 1 Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang of the United States both shot even par.
2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.
Check below for the Round 1 leaderboard heading into Thursday's Round 2 at the 2024 Paris Olympics:
2024 PARIS OLYMPICS:Follow all of USA TODAY's coverage from the 2024 Paris Games here
Olympic women's golf leaderboard today
Scores courtesy of the official Olympic leaderboard.
Round 1
Below are the top 20 golfers, including ties, atop the leaderboard for Round 1. For full results, click here.
- 1. Celine Boutier (France): -7 (F)
- 2. Ashleigh Buhai (South Africa): -4 (F)
- T-3. Lilia Vu (USA): -2 (F)
- T-3. Gaby Lopez (Mexico): -2 (F)
- T-3. Morgane Metraux (Switzerland): -2 (F)
- T-3. Mariajo Uribe (Columbia): -2 (17)
- T-7. Celine Borge (Norway): -1 (F)
- T-7. Janet Xiyu Lin (China): -1 (F)
- T-7. Diksha Dagar (India): -1 (F)
- T-7. Minjee Lee (Australia): -1 (F)
- T-7. Miyu Tamashita (Japan): -1 (F)
- T-7. Alena Sharp (Canada): -1 (F)
- T-13. Manon de Roey (Belgium): E (F)
- T-13. Aditi Ashok (India): E (F)
- T-13. Esther Henseleit (Germany): E (F)
- T-13. Rose Zhang (USA): E (F)
- T-13. Nelly Korda (USA): E (F)
- T-13. Ruoning Yin (China): E (F)
- T-13. Ashley Lau (Malaysia): E (F)
- T-13. Bianca Pagdanganan (Phillipines): E (F)
- T-13. Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland): E (F)
- T-13. Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand): E (17)
- T-13. Amy Yang (South Korea): E (F)
- T-13. Lydia Ko (New Zealand): E (F)
- T-13. Maja Stark (Sweden): E (F)
Who is competing for Team USA at the Paris Olympics in women's golf?
The 60-woman field at the Olympic golf tournament features nine of the top 10 golfers in the world at the moment, including Korda (No. 1), Vu (No. 2) and Zhang (No. 9) for the United States. Amy Yang (No. 3) and Jin Young Ko (No. 4) of South Korea and China's Ruoning Yin (No. 5) are also in the Olympics.
New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games, is also back to make a run at that elusive gold medal.
Is there a cut line in Olympic golf?
No, the Olympics have no cut line, unlike most PGA and LPGA Tour events. All 60 players who started the tournament on Wednesday are still golfing on the final day of the tournament on Saturday.
Does Olympic golf have a playoff?
Yes, Olympic golf does use a playoff to determine not only who wins gold, but also the silver and bronze medals, if necessary.
Olympic women's golf Round 1 pairings, tee times
Here's a look at the golf pairings and tee times for Round 1 at the 2024 Paris Olympics:
All times Eastern
- 3 a.m.:Perrine Delacour (France), Stephanie Meadow (Ireland), Manon de Roey (Belgium)
- 3:11 a.m.:Pei-yun Chien (Chinese Taipei), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Denmark), Anne van Dam (Netherlands)
- 3:22 a.m.:Aditi Ashok (India), Gaby Lopez (Mexico), Esther Henseleit (Germany)
- 3:33 a.m.:Shannon Tan (Singapore), Maria Fassi (Mexico), Celine Borge (Norway)
- 3:44 a.m.:Hannah Green (Australia), Charley Hull (Great Britain), Rose Zhang (USA)
- 3:55 a.m.:Nelly Korda (USA), Jin Young Ko (Korea), Ruoning Yin (China)
- 4:11 a.m.:Hyo Joo Kim (Korea), Brooke Henderson (Canada), Xiyu Janet Lin (China)
- 4:22 a.m.:Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand), Linn Grant (Sweden), Carlota Ciganda (Spain)
- 4:33 a.m.:Alessandra Fanali (Italy), Ashley Lau (Malaysia), Ursula Wikstrom (Finland)
- 4:44 a.m.:Dottie Ardina (Philippines), Noora Komulainen (Finland), Madelene Stavnar (Norway)
- 4:55 a.m.:Wei-Ling Hsu (Chinese Taipei), Diksha Dagar (India), Emma Spitz (Austria)
- 5:06 a.m.:Azahara Munoz (Spain), Bianca Pagdanganan (Philippines), Morgane Metraux (Switzerland)
- 5:17 a.m.:Alexandra Forsterling (Germany), Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland), Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark)
- 5:33 a.m.:Klara Davidson Spilkova (Czech Republic), Paula Reto (South Africa), Mariajo Uribe (Colombia)
- 5:44 a.m.: Yuka Saso (Japan), Minjee Lee (Australia), Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand)
- 5:55 a.m.:Celine Boutier (France), Lilia Vu (USA), Amy Yang (Korea)
- 6:06 a.m.:Lydia Ko (New Zealand), Miyu Yamashita (Japan), Maja Stark (Sweden)
- 6:17 a.m.:Leona Maguire (Ireland), Georgia Hall (Great Britain), Ashleigh Buhai (South Africa)
- 6:28 a.m.:Ana Belac (Slovenia), Sara Kouskova (Czech Republic), Alena Sharp (Canada)
- 6:39 a.m.:Ines Laklalech (Morocco), Sarah Schober (Austria), Pia Babnik (Slovenia)
Olympic golf live TV coverage, how to watch
- TV channel:Golf Channel
The Golf Channel will broadcast women's golf at the 2024 Paris Olympics at Le Golf National.
Olympic golf streaming options
- Streaming:NBCOlympics.com | NBC app | NBC Olympics app |Peacock|Fubo (free trial)
The first round of the women's individual stroke play at the 2024 Paris Olympics can be streamed on the NBC app, NBC Olympic app, or NBCOlympics.com by logging in with your TV provider credentials.
You can also stream iton Fubo,which carries the Golf Channel and offers a free trial, or onPeacock.
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