Stephanie Meadow is tied-3rd after a fine opening 68 at the Americas Open at Liberty National.
The Antrim woman carded six birdies and two bogeys over the course of Thursday's round, leaving her three strokes adrift of the pace set by America's Lauren Hartlage who carded a blemish free 65.
Starting her round later, Leona Maguire carded a one-under par 71, with 15 pars, two birdies and a single bogey to lie tied-26th.
At the summit of the leaderboard, Hartlage eagled her first hole before pouring in five birdies to shoot a 7-under-par 65 and take the first-round lead.
Hartlage - the No. 350-ranked player in the world - has a two-shot lead over India's Aditi Ashok, who opened with a bogey-free 67. Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul.
Hartlage surely enjoyed her first round at Liberty National Golf Course, which is hosting an LPGA event for the first time. The 25-year-old began her day on the par-5 10th hole and hit her second shot so close to the pin that albatross was in play.
"Hit it to a foot and tapped in for eagle," Hartlage said. "So getting off to a really good start always helps."
She added birdies at the par-5 13th and par-4 17th holes before making the turn. Keeping her card clean of bogeys, Hartlage birdied the par-4 third, thepar-5 sixth and the par-4 ninth coming in. The 65 marked a career low.
"Feel like I hadn't been playing quite as well the last couple weeks, but working with the new swing coach and getting some good swing changes going... has been really helpful," Hartlage said. "Kind of nice to see that work paying off this week."
Ashok is also looking for her first LPGA Tour victory, though she's had a more decorated career thus far. The 25-year-old has six wins worldwide, including four on the Ladies European Tour, and she threatened for a medal at the Olympic Games in 2021 before finishing fourth.
