Frenchwoman Celine Boutier battles her way to fourth LPGA Tour title

Good job: Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand (left) congratulates Celine Boutier of France after the Maybank Championship playoff battle. — S.S.KANESAN/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Frenchwoman Celine Boutier had to go through nine hours, 27 holes and a two-hour storm enforced delay before she emerged as the deserving winner of the inaugural Maybank Championship.

The 29-year-old Boutier was dragged through a nine-hole epic playoff battle under the fading sunlight at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club yesterday en route to take home the winner’s bounty of US$450,000 (RM2.15mil).