Chevron Championship: Georgia Hall contends as Jennifer Kupcho and Minjee Lee co-lead

Georgia Hall is bidding to become the first British winner of the event

England's Georgia Hall produced a four-under-par opening round to sit two off the lead at the first womens' major of the year - the Chevron Championship.

Her mark of four under leaves her two shots off American Jennifer Kupcho and Australia's Minjee Lee, who co-lead.

"I know I have one major under my belt, but I do want a little bit more," said Lee.

Lee, 25, won her first major at the Evian Championship last year and added: "I just think I have a little bit more belief in myself and my game, so I can be a little bit more comfortable just hitting the shots."

'Everything was wrong'

Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit, the defending champion at Mission Hills, sits alone in second place on five under, while a group of six including Hall and New Zealand's Lydia Ko - the world number three - are tied on four under.

Hall, who won her major at the British Open in 2018, would become the first British winner of the event and only the fifth European victor if she can build on an excellent start and fight off a field that includes nine of the world's top 10.

Her round almost included a hole in one on her 17th hold of the day and she said: "I finished my round and the camera guy said it went in the hole and came back out.

"I'm just playing good golf and feel I'm in a good place. I'm just really enjoying competing."

World-number-one Ko Jin-young endured a testing opening round with two bogeys in a two-over 74 that will leave her with work to do to make the cut.

South Korea's Ko, winner of six of her last 12 events, was at a loss to explain the performance that saw an end to her streak of 34 consecutive LPGA rounds under par - a run stretching back to July.

"I hit a lot of great shots," said 25-year-old Ko, who has not finished outside the top 10 in nine consecutive events - winning five of them.

"My putting wasn't good on the green. I couldn't see the break as much or (calculate) speed.

"Everything was wrong. I don't know what happened."

England's Bronte Law, Charley Hull and Charlotte Thomas are all one-under par after round one as they each pursue a first major title.

Ireland's Leona Maguire, who won her first LPGA event at the Drive On Championship in February, sits at level par.

The Chevron Championship - formerly known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the ANA Inspiration - will move venues next year to land in Houston, Texas.

It has been played on the iconic Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills since American Jane Blalock banked $20,000 for her three-stroke win at the inaugural staging, played over only three rounds, back in 1972.