Ayaka Furue. Women’s Scottish Open

The world’s best players including six of the world’s top 10 have landed at Dundonald Links for the Women’s Scottish Open, with defending champion Ayaka Furue, US Women’s Open Champion Allisen Corpuz, and golf’s latest major winner Celine Boutier talking to the media.

Ayaka Furue
World No. 18

  • Defending Champion
  • Shortest active player on the LPGA at 5 foot
  • Won last year’s event in her rookie year on the LPGA
  • A final round 62 to seal victory last year included a run of six consecutive birdies
  • Has earned seven top-10 finishes this season, including second place at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play

On what the Japanese fans thought of her rookie win in Scotland…
“When I went back to Japan, all the Japanese fans, they already know the bunkers and the course is very difficult. So they were very happy that I was able to win in that condition, and everybody said great job, great job.”
On her tactics this week…
“I’m only trying to be a good friend with the wind on this course and enjoy my golf this week.”

Celine Boutier. Women’s Scottish Open

Celine Boutier
World No. 4

  • First French winner of the Amundi Evian Championship
  • Four LPGA victories to her name
  • Won this year’s Amundi Evian Championship by six shots over two-time major winner Brooke Henderson
  • Has finished within the top-10 at every major:
    The Chevron Championship                     T4: 2022
    KPMG Women’s PGA Championship      T7: 2021
    U.S. Women’s Open                                   T5: 2019
    AIG Women’s Open                                   6th: 2019
    The Amundi Evian Championship            Won: 2023

On winning her first major in front of her home fans…
“I never really pictured how it was going to happen. Obviously it was such a dream for me. I wouldn’t even call it a goal for me this year. I obviously wanted to perform well in the majors. But in the past I was never really able to play well in Evian, just the pressure of everything was a lot for me to handle and this year, I just decided to really do it for myself and not put so much pressure on myself. The fact that I even had a chance to play for the win in the final round was a big advantage for me and to pull it off on the final day to, have the crowd behind you, which I never imagined that they would be so loud and so energetic, so passionate about it. It felt like a win for me and it felt like a  win for them as well. To be able to share it with everyone in my home country is an absolute dream come true.”
On why she is here this week after the biggest victory of her life…
“I had a very good week last year on this course. I feel like I really enjoy playing in links course. And I feel like even though Walton Heath is not going to be like links, traditional links, I feel like it’s still good to be in the UK and Scotland and to be able to get a feel for the wind and weather and stuff like that. I feel like it was going to be a good week to prepare for the British.”

Allisen Corpuz. Women’s Scottish Open

Allisen Corpuz
World No. 7

  • Won her first major at this year’s US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach
  • In her rookie year on the LPGA, she made 17 of 21 cuts and finished the year at 41st on the Rolex World Rankings
  • Member of the victorious 2021 Curtis Cup team in Wales, which was also her first-time playing links golf
  • Making her second appearance at the Women’s Scottish Open

On returning to Dundonald Links…
“I think it’s definitely a gettable course. There’s a lot of birdie opportunities. There’s just a few holes that play a little tougher, a little longer and especially with the wind it can definitely be tough to gauge just yardages in, how much the ball is going to roll out, even into the wind, how much the wind is going to play a factor there. So really just coming in with a little more knowledge and trying to score a little better this year.”
On what she enjoys most about links golf…
“Yeah, I haven’t quite figured it out yet but I think it’s really fun. I think it’s great to watch drives roll like a hundred yards and be thinking, Oh, it’s going to roll up 50 yards to the green. I think that’s really fun. It definitely just takes some extra time, a little more thought, but I love it.”
On staying onsite this week…
“It’s beautiful and a very spacious room. Very nice shower. It’s just nice to be able to roll out of bed and just walk on to property. It’s nice to be able to see the course from the room. Haven’t had dinner here yet but the food has been really good so far.”