Six weeks after earning her initial LPGA victory, Akie Iwai sits in first place after the opening round of the Lotte Championship in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.

The 23-year-old Japan native shot an 8-under-par 64 on Wednesday at Hoakalei Country Club to hold a one-stroke lead over Taiwan's Peiyun Chien, Australia's Gabriela Ruffels and Japan's Nasa Hataoka.

The Thai duo of Pornanong Phatlum and Patty Tavatanakit share fifth place with South Korea's A Lim Kim, the defending champion, at 66. Jessica Porvasnik and South Koreans Youmin Hwang and Sung Hyun Park are tied for eighth place at 67.

Iwai opened the tournament on the back nine and birdied three of her first four holes. She added two more birdies on either side of the turn, then birdied four out of five from No. 4 to No. 8 before making her

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