China's Shanshan Feng has continued her red-hot form to lead the LPGA Tour's season-ending Tour Championship with a six-under-par 66 opening round.
Coming off consecutive LPGA victories in Malaysia and Japan, Feng went bogey-free and grabbed a one-shot lead from South Korea's So Yeon Ryu and England's Charley Hull at the Tiburon course in Naples, Florida.
Feng is one of nine players who entered the season finale with a chance to win the Race to the CME Globe season points title and its $US1 million bonus.
A two-time winner this year, Australian youngster Minjee Lee also had a shot at that huge prize, coming into the event in seventh spot, but her slim chances diminished further when she shot a 74 to be tied 53rd.
Lee was still the leading Australian, with Karrie Webb posting at 75, Su Oh a 76 and Sarah Jane Smith a 77.
Ha Na Jang, Sei Young Kim, In Gee Chun, Amy Yang, Lizette Salas, Beatriz Recari, Ryann O'Toole and Mo Martin all shot 68.
World No.1 Lydia Ko had a 70. She came into the event in second place in the season points race behind Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, who posted a 72.
Canada's Brooke Henderson is the third player guaranteed the points crown if she wins this week and she also shot a 72.
Ko and Jutanugarn are fighting for the big year-end honours.
Only a win would be enough to give Ko her second straight player-of-the-year award; any other result, and that title goes to Jutanugarn.
They came in separated by $US17,305 in the money standings, and Ko (69.611) enters with a minuscule edge over Chun (69.632) for the Vare Trophy presented to the player with the lowest scoring average.
Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last seven events. She started the run with the Olympic bronze medal in Rio, tied for fourth at Evian in France, opened the Asia trip at home in China with a fourth-place tie, was second in Taiwan and tied for third in South Korea before winning in Malaysia and Japan.
She took last week off, practicing only three days in Orlando.
"I think after the Asian wave, we're just so tired. I think I needed the rest," Feng said. "I feel actually pretty fresh coming into this week. ... I've been playing well, so just wanted to keep up with the good playing."
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