Stephanie Meadow is positioned just outside the top 10 after a strong start at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
The Antrim woman recorded six birdies in her opening round, including four in six holes between the ninth and 14th, to post a four-under par 68, leaving her tied-11th and four strokes adrift of the leader, Japan's Akie Iwai.
Leona Maguire is two strokes further back after a round of 70 on Wednesday left her in tied-40th.
Maguire carded four birdies with two dropped strokes to sit on two-under par on a day of low scoring at the Hoakalei Country Club.
Iwai, who won her first LPGA Tour event at the Portland Classic in August, leads after a superb 64.
The 23-year old leads by one stroke from Taiwan's Peiyun Chien, Australia's Gabriela Ruffels and her Japanese compatriot Nasa Hataoka.
Defending champion A Lim Kim is in a group at six-under in a share for fifth place.
World number two Nelly Korda, meanwhile, is sandwiched between the Irish pair at three-under after opening with a round of 69.
