Ko has already won twice this year but took some time off after finishing well out of the picture at the ANA Inspiration, the women's first major of the season.
Hot on Ko’s heels are three players at four-under, including South Korean rookie Jang Ha-na and 54-year-old Juli Inkster, a winner of 31 LPGA tournaments and seven majors but who has not won in nine years.
Americans Stacy Lewis and Morgan Pressel shot 69s to finish at three-under.
Lewis was impressed with Inkster's round. “I just think it’s really cool,” she said. “Just shows howgood of a player she is. She gets what it takes to win out here and what it takes to play well.”
World number two Park In-bee had a tough start to the tournament with four bogeys en route to a one-over 73 while fellow South Korean Kim Sei-young, who holed out in Hawaii to win last week’s LOTTE championship, shot a two-over 74.
Michelle Wie finished at three-over.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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