France's Celine Boutier up early in Olympics women's golf

(Photo credit: Mike Lang / USA TODAY NETWORK)

GUYANCOURT, France -- Celine Boutier raced into an early lead as the women's golf competition at the Paris Games got under way on Wednesday after the main home country medal hope negotiated a tricky course better than other favorites like defending champion Nelly Korda.

The women's tournament will follow the same format as the men's contest won by American Scottie Scheffler o