Sung Hyun Park shot a blistering eight-under-par 63 on Friday to take the first-round lead in the NW Arkansas Championship, but within striking distance is Australia's Katherine Hull-Kirk.
The South Korean, ranked eighth in the world in her first full season on the LPGA Tour, finished with nine birdies and needed only 24 putts to take a two-shot lead over Mel Reid, Ally McDonald and So Yeon Ryu.
Reid had a hole-in-one on the par-three 11th and reached as low as eight under before falling back with a pair of back-nine bogeys.
But shooting good numbers and also in the mix is Queenslander Kirk.
The world No.175 put together a blemish-free round with five birdies to join Juli Inkster, Felicity Johnson, Moriya Jutanugarn and Stacy Lewis in fifth position.
Kirk went on a birdie blitz on holes four, five and six before savaging the par-threes on 11 and 17.
Minjee Lee is the next best Australian, her two-under-par 69 securing a tie for 37th.
Compatriot Su Hyun Oh is a further stroke behind, with Sarah Kemp (one over) and Sarah Jane-Smith (two over) facing a battle to make the cut.
Defending champion and world No.2 Lydia Ko opened with a 70.
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