Ireland's Olivia Mehaffey sits just outside the top 20 following the opening round of the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur.
The Belfast golfer sits on one over par after the first round, five shots off the lead, shared by Jennifer Kupcho and Zoe Campos who both carded four under 68s.
Mehaffey, who plays her college golf at Arizona State University shot a level par front nine with birdies on the third and eighth holes, however, she gave two shots back on the par four fifth and the par five ninth hole.
A steady back nine for the 2016 and 2018 Curtis Cup player included eight pars with just the one dropped shot coming on the 13th hole.
Mehaffey had the honour of teeing off in the opening three-ball, alongside world amateur number one Kupcho and 16-year-old Atthaya Thitikul who has already won on the Ladies European Tour, the 2017 Thailand Championship as a 14-year-old.
Fore, please. Now driving.
— Augusta National Women's Amateur (@anwagolf) April 3, 2019
The #ANWAgolf tradition begins. pic.twitter.com/Ss55wIGqgL
The three-round, 54-hole tournament is hosted in Augusta with the final round of 30 players taking place at the iconic Augusta National. The cut takes place after the second round, with both opening rounds contested at the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat golf club.
The final round will take place on Saturday following Friday's practice round where the entire field will get to play on the official Masters course.
NCAA champion Kupcho made birdies at the eighth, 14th, 15th and 18th as she went bogey-free for the opening round of the 54-hole event comprising of 72 of the best amateur players in the world.
Sixteen-year-old Californian Campos birdied the last hole to draw level with her fellow American following an eventful round that saw her make gains on six holes but also card two bogeys.
The opening two rounds of this competition are being played at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta before the cut is whittled down to 30 players, who will then contest the final round at Augusta National on Saturday.
South Africa's Kaleigh Telfer is on three under while Spain's Marta Perez, Mexico's Maria Fassi, Italy's Alessandra Fanali and Sweden's Maja Stark are a shot further back.
