ANA Inspiration: Lexi Thompson denied first-round lead by Ally McDonald

Ally McDonald seized a one-shot lead with the final putt of the opening day of the ANA Inspiration as her 68 took her to the top of a congested leaderboard at Rancho Mirage.

McDonald holed from five feet for her seventh birdie of the day at the 18th to post the only 68 of the first round, lifting her clear of Lexi Thompson and three others on a day of tough scoring for the first women's major of the year.

Charley Hull carded 16 pars in a solid 72, but her English compatriots, Georgia Hall and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, were unable to build on bright starts as both finished over par.

McDonald made light of the blustery, afternoon conditions and birdied the first two holes before giving both shots back at the third and fifth, but her response was impressive as four birdies in five holes around the turn lifted her into the outright lead.

The world No 106, who missed the cut on her debut in the event last year, dropped another shot at the 14th before hitting back again to make a good four at the last to match her best round of the season - and in her major career.

"I think in this position that I've never been in it's so easy to get ahead of yourself," McDonald said. "On the first day a great round is awesome, but there is so much more golf left to play. I'm just excited to put a good round together in a major.

"Scoring on the par-fives was key, I birdied every par-five. On a major championship golf course you have to start out playing the par-fives really well.

"But, overall, I drove the ball really well and gave myself a lot of opportunities to make good approach shots into the greens. I think that is key, to be consistent. Sometimes you hit the ball above the hole and you have to take a two-putt."

Thompson, the 2014 champion, recovered from an early blip at the long second to make five birdies, including each of the last two holes as she became the first player into the clubhouse on three under.

She was later joined by the South Korean pair of Jin Young Ko and Hyo Joo Kim as well as Swedish rookie Linnea Strom, while 2016 champion Lydia Ko is among 10 players on two under par after the first day.

Hull offset a birdie at 14 with a bogey at 16 before making pars at her last 11 holes to stay within five of the lead, but Hall's chances of making the cut for the first time in her third appearance were dashed by inconsistency.

The Open champion made four birdies against two bogeys in a mixed-bag of a first eight holes before she double-bogeyed the 18th and, after a birdie at the second got her back under the card, she dropped three further shots down the stretch to slip six strokes off the lead.

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