China's Liu Yan and South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai both shot 9-under par rounds of 63 to share the lead after the first round of the LA Championship on Thursday.
But on a day of low scoring at El Caballero Country Club, Sweden's Frida Kinhult was just a shot off the leading pair and a chasing pack of five were just a further stroke behind.
Liu made a shaky start with a bogey on her opening hold, the par-4 10th, but she was electric from then on making birdies on three of her next four holes before an eagle on the par-5 16th.