Last week’s Solheim Cup, held at an undisclosed location, saw some drama unfold behind the scenes. Reports from Handicap54 on X indicated that Celine Boutier, one of the players, requested a partner change after her teammate Georgia Hall underperformed during the morning session on Friday.
In a series of tweets, Handicap54 shared the “funny” situation that he had learned about from various sources. According to the tweets, Boutier approached the captain of her team and expressed her dissatisfaction with Hall’s performance. She asked if she could play with another golfer in the afternoon session. The captain agreed and suggested a replacement, but Boutier insisted on playing with a different player, who we’ll refer to as Player C. The captain deemed this request impossible and decided that Boutier would not play in the afternoon session.
To everyone’s surprise, the pairing of Hall and Player B, whom Boutier had deemed to have a low level, ended up winning their match that afternoon. It was certainly an unexpected turn of events and one that drew attention to Boutier’s original request for a partner change.
Handicap54 revealed that the golfer in question was indeed Celine Boutier, and he had waited to confirm this information with other sources before sharing it. However, Boutier quickly denied these claims in an interview with Ouest France, stating that they were completely false. She expressed her respect for Hall both personally and professionally, emphasizing that it was an honor to play with her. Boutier also mentioned that she and Hall had known each other since their university days at Duke in the United States.
Since then, Boutier has made no further comments regarding the claim that she did not want to play with Hall in the Friday afternoon session. Handicap54, however, stands by his original report, stating that if Boutier had seen his tweets, she would have denied the situation with Hall as well.
This incident is not the first time that conflicts or disagreements have occurred within teams participating in the Solheim Cup or Ryder Cup. Handicap54 drew parallels to a reported fight between Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson during the 2018 Ryder Cup, which Koepka had initially denied. It is not uncommon for players or members of a player’s team to attempt to deny or downplay such situations to maintain a positive image.
Regardless of whether the claim is true or false, the incident highlights the internal dynamics and challenges that can arise within a team competition like the Solheim Cup. It also showcases the professional and diplomatic skills required of team captains like Suzann Pettersen, who had to make difficult decisions in the face of conflicting player requests.
In the end, the Solheim Cup was a success, with both teams showcasing their talent and sportsmanship. The incident involving Boutier and Hall adds an interesting layer to the tournament’s narrative, but it should not overshadow the skill and teamwork displayed by all the players involved.