Japan's Chizzy Iwai posted a bogey-free 9-under-par round of 63 on Thursday to grab a two-stroke lead at the LA Championship in Tarzana, California.
Iwai tied the course record in pristine conditions at the El Caballero Country Club. Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad and South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai each carded 63 at the 2025 event. Lindblad went on to earn her first LPGA victory in the tournament, posting a 21-under four-day total.
Korea's Sei Young Kim and a pair of players from Thailand are two strokes behind Iwai at 7 under. Patty Tavatanakit completed her round early in the day while countrywoman Suvichaya Vinijchaitham and Kim were part of the afternoon groups.
Nine players finished tied for fifth at 6 under, including recent winner Lauren Coughlin and countrywoman Jessica Porvasnik.
Chizzy Iwai rises to the top on Day 1 in La La Land 🏙️ pic.twitter.com/gpgeQU9Foj
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 17, 2026
Iwai, the 20th-ranked player in the Women's World Golf Rankings, produced an incredible stretch of golf on the back nine, where she started her round. She birdied holes 11 through 15, then eagled the par-5 16th hole and posted a score of 29 on the inward half of the course.
She birdied Nos. 1 and 5 and played the four par-fives on the course at 4 under.
Iwai, who won the Mexico Riviera Maya Open in her rookie season of 2025, credited an early start to her excellent round.
"Good time tee time in morning, so very peaceful and I feel comfortable so I had a feeling so relaxing," said Iwai. "I had good feeling. I had fun."
Chizzy didn't miss her chance in Round 1 🎶 pic.twitter.com/1AOHpbnbKr
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 17, 2026
After the brilliant run on the back nine, Iwai admitted to thinking about an extraordinary round.
"A little bit thinking 58 or 9 score," she said. "But golf is not easy. That's why I focus my routine. I try myself. I don't think too much."
Tavatanakit was only 1 under after bogeying the par-5 seventh hole. But she closed the outward half birdie-birdie and then birdied four of her last six holes on the day. She has missed two of three cuts to date and realises there is a lot of golf left this weekend.
"I think that's what I find hard to adjust coming back into like full season tournament play," said Tavatanakit.
"When you stop for a while just kind of been working on your swing and stuff, but you just kind of, you know, not think about hitting the numbers.
"I feel like I've been kind of building that ever since San Francisco, when we were there. I mean, I feel like my game has always been there. Just a little bit here and there is just kind of rusty."
Coughlin just won two handily weeks ago at the Aramco Championship, defeating runner-up Nelly Korda by five strokes. She played bogey-free golf on Thursday, closing with a 32 on the inward half.