New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko is handily placed after the opening round of the LPGA Tour's Taiwan Championship.
The New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The world No.2 coped well in tricky conditions to post a three under par 69, which tied her for seventh, three shots behind South Korea's Ji Eun-hee.
The world No.3 Stacey Lewis ballooned to a 77, the American's worst round of the year.
Ji Eun-hee chipped in twice as she raced to the top of the leaderboard with an opening round of six-under-par 66.
Starting her round at the 10th, Ji made her move on the second nine with four consecutive birdies from the fifth and needed only 23 putts as she made light work of the blustery conditions.
China's Lin Xi Yu (67) was one shot back in second, with American Morgan Presell (68) in a four-way tie for third alongside Germany's Sandra Gal, Charley Hull of England and Yoo Sun-young of South Korea.
"I was just patient with the winds and I was calm with my putting. I just looked at the line and hit it," Ji told reporters, crediting some short game work for her good round.
"I just working on my short game last week and the week before, because my chipping wasn't feeling good.
"So I was working a lot this week and I just chipped in twice today and I think I worked on a lot of right things."
Ji, who won the 2009 US Women's Open, has struggled this season, with her best finish tied for eighth at the Evian Championships last month.
The 66 was a joint best round of the year.
- Reuters