Celine Boutier carded a 2-under-par 69 to claim a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Evian Championship in France.
Boutier recorded four birdies against two bogeys on Friday to sit at 7-under 135 for the tournament at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains.
A three-time LPGA Tour winner who is seeking her first career major title, Boutier was born a little more than five hours southeast of Evian-les-Bains in Clamart.
Boutier, 29, holds a one-stroke lead over Patty Tavatanakit (67) of Thailand and Yuka Saso (69) of Japan.
Gaby Lopez (68) of Mexico, Alison Lee (71) of the United States and Nasa Hataoka (67) of Japan reside in a three-way tie for fourth place at 5-under, one stroke ahead of Hae Ran Ryu (71) of South Korea and two in front of a foursome that includes Brooke Henderson (70) of Canada and first-round leader Paula Reto (75) of South Africa.
Australian Minjee Lee, American Rose Zhang and World No.1 Jin Young Ko of South Korea are part of a large group tied for 12th at 2-under.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was disqualified on Friday 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.
She carded a round of 1-over 72 but left the scoring tent without signing her card, prompting the disqualification.
The Evian Championship is the fourth of five women’s majors of the year.