Lindsey Wright and Sarah Kemp are the leading Australians, five shots adrift of first round leader, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn in the Kingsmill Championship being played at the Kingsmill Resort, River Course, in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Jutanugarn got off to flying start with three straight birdies, then a par, followed by another three birdies to go out in a six-under, 30. She slowed down a little with another two birdies, on the 11th and 14th holes to move to eight-under, but the talented player stumbled at the par 3 17th where she took a double bogey. She finished off strong with her ninth birdie of the day.

American and former winner in Kingsmill, Cristie Kerr, is two shots back, while South Korean So Yeon Ryu and the Netherlands Dewi-Claire Schreefel share third place at four-under-par. 14 players are at three-under, while Wright and Kemp are in a large group of 20 players at two-under-par.

Wright posted five birdies and three bogeys in her round, while Kemp had four birdies and two bogeys. Karrie Webb was at three-under but finished at one-under, 70, and is tied for 39th position. The remaining three Australians in the field, Katherine Hull-Kirk, Sarah Jane Smith and Julia Boland are all tied for 85th position after signing for two-over-par rounds of 73.