In what was a steady but unspectacular round of golf, Leona Maguire carded a level-par 72 on the opening day of the Buick LPGA Shanghai, a score that leaves her eight shots off the pace.
Starting on the tenth hole, she made just one birdie, that on the 17th, with her round ending with a six on the par-five ninth.
In finding all 18 greens in regulation, the Cavan golfer will be disappointed that she did not hit a score in the 60s.
Leading the way is Thailand's Arpichaya Yubol after eight birdies and no dropped shots saw her post 64.
Yubol, 23 (below), is seeking her first victory on the LPGA Tour. She has nine career wins on the Thai LPGA Tour and one on the Taiwan LPGA Tour. She missed the cut in her last start at the Lotte Championship.
Yubol holds a one-stroke lead over a five-golfer contingent. Rolex Rankings number one Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand totalled 10 birdies in the first round including four in a row from holes five to eight and three straight on 13 to 15.
Three-time major champion Minjee Lee of Australia benefited from the use of her broomstick putter to join Thitikul, rookie Jenny Bae and the South Korean pair of Jenny Shinn and Ina Yoon by shooting a 65.
Additional reporting: Reuters
