Amelia Lewis part of three-way tie for Sanya Ladies Open lead

A final-hole bogey from Amelia Lewis leaves the American part of a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the Sanya Ladies Open in China.

Lewis had posted a hat-trick of birdies along the back nine and moved in to the outright lead with another gain at the par-four 17th, but the dropped shot at the last saw her finish on five under alongside Thai duo Thidapa Suwannapura and Pavarisa Yoktuan.

Norweigan Tonje Daffinrud is one of four players lurking one shot off the lead, with Solheim Cup star Gwladys Nocera part of the six-strong group a further stroke thanks to a steady three-under 69.

World No 6 Shanshan Feng, the highest ranked player in this week's field, posted three birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn on her way to an opening 70, putting her alongside defending champion Xiyu Lin.

"I would say overall I did okay," Feng said. "Two under is not a super good score but it's not bad.

"My problem today was not hitting the balls close to the pins so I didn't have that many birdie chances, but I still made three and a bogey on a par five. I still have two more days, so more chances." 

Ladies European Tour Golf

Feng currently tops the Order of Merit standings ahead of Helsingborg Open champion Nicole Broch Larsen, with the Dane still within reach after an opening round of level par 72.

"It was a good score considering I hit two balls in the water and made a three-putt on number three," Larsen said. "I made an up and down for par on the seventh, but I was struggling a bit on the back nine with my approach shots and couldn't get close to the pins."