Leona Maguire is just three shots off the lead in China after a solid start at the Blue Bay LPGA.
The Cavan woman carded an opening three-under-par 69 at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on Hainan Island.
A bogey at the first and fourth was sandwiched by a birdie at the second hole, but from there on in it was all positive on the scorecard.
The 31-year-old picked up a shot at the ninth, with three more on the back nine, including the par-five 18th.
South Korea's Hwang You-min and the Chinese pair of Mary Liu and Zhang Weiyue share top spot on the leaderboard.
The 108-player field will compete for a €2.4m purse.
Meanwhile, Aine Donegan is best placed of the Irish at the Australian Women's Classic, where Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova leads the way after shooting an eight-under-par 64, which is a new course record.
Donegan is in a tie for 20th and five shots adrift of Kouskova after a 69.
One under at the turn, the 23-year-old picked up three shots on the back nine before closing with a bogey at the last.
The other Irish golfer in the field is Anna Foster, who posted a two-over-par round of 74.
The woman to catch at Magenta Shores is two-time Ladies European Tour winner Kouskova, who capitalised on calm conditions in New South Wales carding eight birdies in a bogey-free round to lead by two.
"Honestly, it was such a steady round today," Kouskova said, who matched her career-best round thanks to the morning flurry.
"I think I struggled mentally last week a little bit and kind of going towards the season I was very excited, but then it just felt that it wasn’t there in my mind correctly."
Two back in a tie for second on six under sit New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori, Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea and Australia’s Kelsey Bennett.
