NEW YORK: Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom fired a bogey-free nineunder par 63 to grab a one-stroke lead over American Megan Khang after Thursday’s (Friday in Manila) opening round of the LPGA Founders Cup.

Sagstrom, last year’s Women’s British Open runnerup, began her round with four consecutive birdies and reeled off four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey.

That put her just ahead of Khang, who made eight birdies without a bogey in shooting 64, and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, third after a bogey-free 65.

Sharing fourth on 66 were Bianca Pagdanganan of the Philippines,

South Korean Amy Yang and Italy’s Giulia Molinaro.

Sagstrom, ranked 35th, followed her sizzling start with a birdie at the par-4 seventh hole then began her back-nine birdie run at the par-5 12th.

Khang, ranked 41st, had runs of four birdies in six holes on both the front and back nines, starting at the par-5 second and par-5 12th.

Sagstrom won her only LPGA crown at the 2020 Gainbridge at Boca Rio while Khang seeks her first tour title.

Hataoka didn’t miss a fairway. Hataoka chases her seventh career LPGA title and second of the year after winning the Los Angeles Open three weeks

ago.