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Lottie Woad struggled to live up her billing as pre-tournament favourite during a mixed start to the AIG Women’s Open, as Japanese players dominated the opening day at Royal Porthcawl.
Woad has dominated headlines at the final major of the year, having won her professional debut at last week's ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open and finished no worse than third in her last three starts, but sits five strokes off the pace after an eventful opening-round 72.
The Englishwoman mixed four birdies with as many bogeys to sit on level par and five strokes off the early lead, held by Japanese duo Eri Okayama and Rio Takeda, with Mimi Rhodes leading British hopes after an impressive three-under 69.
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A logjam on two under includes world No 1 Nelly Korda, world No 2 Jeeno Thitikul, KPMG Women's PGA Championship winner Minjee Lee and Wales' Darcey Harry, with 2018 champion Georgia Hall - playing alongside Harry - four strokes off the early lead.
Ireland's Leona Maguire sits alongside Woad on level par, while defending champion Lydia Ko is a further stroke back and Charley Hull is also six behind despite making five birdies in a six-hole stretch during her opening-round 73.
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Woad makes mixed start as major favourite
The trio of Woad, Ko and Lilia Vu highlighted themselves a marquee group by all birdieing the par-four first, although Vu bogeyed her next four holes and Woad dropped a shot at the par-four third after her chip from the greenside bunker rolled off the green.
Woad failed to get up and down to save par at the par-three fifth but holed a long-range birdie at the next, then was unable to take advantage of the par-five ninth as both Ko and Wu made birdie.
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Another bogey at the par-four 11th saw Woad equal the same number of bogeys she made during last week's Scottish Open win, with the 21-year-old then hitting a spectator with her tee shot at the par-five 13th.
Woad settled for par - after her fortunate break - and holed an eight-foot birdie at the par-four next to raise hopes of a big finish, only to join Ko in bogeying the par-three 15th and drop both players back to one over.
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Ko closed out her round with three straight pars and Vu fell further behind after double-bogeying the 16th, dropping her to two over, as Woad closed her round with a birdie to finish the day on level par.
"Definitely a bit mixed," Woad told Sky Sports. "I hit some good shots, hit some bad ones too, but nice to birdie the last and finish level.
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"There was a lot of build-up for me heading into this event for me, so it was nice to get a good start. There were a lot more expectations so I had to deal with that and play my golf. It was fine when I teed off but it was just waiting around the last few days."
Japanese stars dominate opening day
Takeda birdied three of her first six holes and cancelled out a double-bogey at the par-five seventh to birdie four of her last seven holes, while Okayama recovered from making an opening-hole bogey to fire six birdies and share top spot on five under.
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Yamashita was also on five under until she bogeyed her penultimate hole, dropping her to third, with Mao Saigo - the Chevron Championship winner - Chisato Iwai and Shiho Kuwaki, all Japanese players, sitting within two of the early lead.
Rhodes raced to the turn in 33 after following birdies at the fifth and seventh with a stunning eagle at par-five ninth, with the Englishwoman - a three-time winner on the Ladies European Tour this season - then adding two birdies and two bogeys on her back nine to sit inside the top five.
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