Evian Championship: Celine Boutier leads at the halfway stage as Carlota Ciganda is disqualified

Celine Boutier moves into a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Evian Championship; watch the final major of the year live on Sky Sports

Home favourite Celine Boutier moved into a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Evian Championship at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France, while Carlota Ciganda was disqualified after refusing to add a two-shot penalty to her score on the final hole having been penalised for slow play.

Boutier, who has previously played the event six times but has yet to break into the top 25 and has missed the cut twice, carded a two-under second round score of 69 to move to seven-under overall and in first place ahead of Patty Tavatanakit and Yuso Saso.

Nasa Hataoka, Gaby Lopez and Alison Lee were in a three-way tie for fourth on five under.

First-round leader Paula Reto of South Africa fell four shots behind Boutier after a torrid time on the back nine.

Reto had three bogeys and a double in the closing stretch as she signed for a four-over-par 75.

Ciganda disqualified after penalty, refusal to sign card

Carlota Ciganda was disqualified on Friday after arguing a slow-play penalty and refusing to sign her score card

Spanish Solheim Cup star Ciganda was disqualified after arguing a slow-play penalty and refusing to sign her score card.

Ciganda, 33, lost her appeal of the two-stroke penalty incurred on her final hole of the second round, having carded a round of one-over par 72, but left the scoring tent without signing her card, prompting the disqualification.

“On the ninth hole [the group’s last hole of the day after starting on No 10], Carlota Ciganda’s shot times prompted a two-stroke penalty per the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“Ciganda was allowed an appeal with the advance and lead rules officials before returning her scorecard, which was heard and denied. Therefore, a two-stroke penalty was upheld. Ciganda opted not to add the two-stroke penalty to her signed scorecard. She was told that leaving the official recording area with a signed score lower (without the penalty strokes) would lead to disqualification, and left on her own accord.”

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh was the leading British contender on two under after a second successive 70, level with some of the pre-tournament favourites in Lin Grant, Minjee Lee and Rose Zhang.

England’s Georgia Hall birdied the last to ensure she made the cut but Charley Hull will miss the weekend after finishing on five under.

Boutier comes into the event with momentum after capturing her third career victory at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Superstition Mountain, while her second-best finish of the season came just last week at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational alongside playing partner Saso.

Watch the Evian Championship, the Senior Open and the 3M Open this weekend live on Sky Sports! Stream the Evian Championship and more with NOW.

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