Jutanugarn, the 2013 LPGA Rookie of the Year, managed seven birdies, along with a bogey and a double bogey, as the pair coped with challenging morning winds that became even stronger during the afternoon.
Michelle Wie had a morning she would rather forget in her hometown event, struggling to an 80.
"I hit a lot of good shots. Just got a little bit unlucky, a couple of unlucky bounces," the 2014 champion told reporters. "Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day."
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Wie, the 2014 U.S. Women's Open champion, is coming off an injury-plagued season that left her languishing 49th on the money list.
World number one Lydia Ko, fresh from a major victory at the ANA Inspiration two weeks ago, fared somewhat better with a one-under 71 in the difficult afternoon conditions.
Ko made a nightmare start with a double bogey at the second hole, where she yanked her drive out-of-bounds, but fought back to post a decent score, finishing with a flourish with a birdie at the final hole.
Defending champion Kim Sei-young, who won a playoff in stunning fashion last year by holing an eight-iron from 154 yards, started strongly with a 69.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)
