TWO-time Major winner Lydia Ko is leading the opening round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia tournament after firing a bogey-less round of seven-under-par 64 at TPC Kuala Lumpur.
Ko, who is gunning for her first win this season, collected seven-birdies to hold the clubhouse lead by a one-shot difference from South Korean-born Australian golfer Oh Su-Hyun.
At six-under-par 65 and in her debut appearance at the tournament, Su-Hyun started her campaign with a clean round on the back nine but the first hole was where the former world number one amateur recorded a dreaded double bogey.
Su-Hyun, 21, recovered with nine birdies to hold off three players - South Korea’s Ji Eun-Hee, Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden and two-time champion Shanshan Feng - by a one-shot advantage.
Meanwhile on the local front, Nur Durriyah Damian kept her emotions in check despite her double bogey on the 17th to close at 72, sharing 41st spot with compatriots Natasha Andrea Oon and Winnie Ng as well as 10 others.
Durriyah, 22, led the Malaysian charge following three birdies and two bogeys to record a one-under but missed her aim on the 17th.
Oon suffered the same fate as Durriyah after recording a double-bogey on the 14th but managed to keep her cool with four birdies.
Other Malaysians on the field this week include Michelle Koh on joint 66th (four over 75), Liyana Durisic at joint 69th (six over 77), Aretha Pan tied 74th (eight over 79), Zulaikah Nurziana Nasser on 76th (10 over 81) and Kelly Tan in last place at 77th (11 over 82).