Veterans Chieko Amanuma and Lee Young Me of South Korea matched each other with a 6-under-par 66 to share the lead after the first round of the Suntory Ladies Open on Thursday.
Amanuma, who is gunning for the sixth victory of her nine-year career and first in three years, sank seven birdies against a bogey while Lee had six birdies in a bogey-free round at Japan Memorial Golf Club.
Mikiyo Nishizuka also carded six birdies to take third place a stroke behind and Ai Miyazato is back in eighth with six others including South Korea's Ko Woo Soon, who recorded a hole-in-one on the 148-yard third hole en route to a 3-under 69.