GRAND RAPIDS (Michigan) • Brooke Henderson shot a bogey-free eight-under 63, her lowest round of the season, to take a one-shot lead atop a crowded leaderboard at the LPGA Tour's Meijer Classic on Thursday.

The 19-year-old Canadian is searching for her first win of this year and she has a slim lead after the first round of the US$2 million (S$2.77 million) event at the Blythefield Country Club.

On a day when Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn - in her first tournament as world No. 1 - carded a 70, Henderson had total control.

She delivered an eagle and six birdies in a performance that comes on the back of a joint-11th showing in last week's Manulife LPGA Classic.

"I felt like today was going to be a really good day," she said.

"Everything was just kind of going my way. I was hitting the ball really well and some putts were dropping, which is kind of a change from the last few weeks."

But Henderson has plenty of rivals in hot pursuit, with nine players within two shots of her.

China's Feng Shanshan and American Lexi Thompson are among six golfers tied for second after shooting 64.

New Zealand's Lydia Ko, whom Ariya replaced as world No. 1, is one shot further back.

Thompson, who started on the back nine, rolled in five straight birdies on Thursday, beginning at the par-three 14th hole.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

MEIJER CLASSIC
Day 3: StarHub Ch209 & Singtel TV Ch115, tomorrow, 3am