Sakura Yokomine shook off the effects of a fever to outshine teen rival Ai Miyazato and take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Studio Alice Ladies Open on Friday.
The 19-year-old long hitter highlighted a 3-under-par 69 with an eagle on the 10th on a day when only three of 108 golfers managed to record under-par scores on the demanding 6,456-yard layout at Hanayashiki Golf Club.
World Cup winner Miyazato had three birdies and a bogey for a 70 and second place and was followed in third by Aiko Yoshida, who carded a 71.
Miyazato's World Cup winning partner Rui Kitada and Yuri Fudo, Japan's top golfer for the past five seasons, both had 72s and were in a nine-way tie for fourth place.