Celine Boutier competes in round 1 of the women's golf individual stroke play. GETTY IMAGES

On the opening day of the women's golf tournament at Le Golf National, France’s medal prospects received a significant boost as Celine Boutier took the lead with a commanding three-stroke advantage. South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai trails in second place. Out of the field, only 12 players managed to finish under par, underscoring the challenging conditions of the course.

Golf at Paris 2024 resumed on Wednesday, following world number one Scottie Scheffler's impressive victory in the men's tournament. Now, the spotlight shifts to the women's event, where Nelly Korda, the Tokyo 2020 champion and top-ranked player, has made a solid start. Although she hasn't positioned herself near the top of the leaderboard yet, she has played to par, mirroring the challenges faced by her compatriot.

France’s Celine Boutier has truly shone on the first day, delivering an exceptional round of 65, seven under par. The course, which featured a par of 71 in the men’s event, saw Boutier achieve eight birdies and only one bogey. Remarkably, after her lone bogey, she bounced back with three consecutive birdies on the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes, showcasing her resilience and skill.



Boutier, currently ranked number seven in the world, has emerged as a top medal contender at Paris 2024. Despite arriving on a bit of a losing streak, with no tournament wins in recent months, her stellar performance on the first day could turn her fortunes around.

Boutier leads the field with a remarkable 65, seven under par. She navigated the course with eight birdies and just one bogey, and after her lone bogey, she quickly regained momentum with three consecutive birdies on the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes.

In second place is South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, who carded a 68, four under par. Buhai also had just one bogey but offset it with five birdies, putting her in a strong position heading into the second day.

Four players are tied for third place: Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, and American Lilia Vu, the world number two. Each of them posted a score of 70, two under par.

Only 12 players out of the 60 competitors finished under par on the first day, highlighting the challenging conditions of the course. Lydia Ko and Korda both finished the first round at par. Ko, currently ranked 22nd in the world, has a notable Olympic pedigree, having won a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Games and a bronze at Tokyo 2020.

The women’s golf tournament has a storied but sporadic history at the Olympics. It was first held in Paris in 1900 and then disappeared from the Games until its reintroduction at Rio 2016. The men’s event, meanwhile, was last held in St. Louis in 1904 before making its return in Rio.