Sung A-Jin of South Korea relied on a flawless round to fire an opening 68 and seize a two-shot lead as the Annika Invitational Asia teed off at the scenic Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket on Wednesday.
The opening round was briefly interrupted by a 40-minute rain delay but resumed without further disruption.
Ranked No. 244 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the 18-year-old Sung produced a bogey-free performance, notching three birdies on the front nine before adding another on the back nine to top the leaderboard at the par-72 layout.
Five players, including local favourite Namo Luangnitikul, were two strokes behind at 70.
"It was my first time playing on this course, and I felt very excited and had a lot of fun," said Sung.
Namo, one of Thailand's brightest junior stars, kept the home crowd hopeful after carding four birdies against two bogeys for a solid 70 to stand as the only Thai player inside the top 10.
"It's a great start," said the 16-year-old Phuket native. "I'm aiming for a top-three finish to earn a chance to compete in the US. I just want to enjoy my game without pressure. Most importantly, I get to meet Annika Sorenstam, the tournament host and a legendary figure in women's golf, who's here to inspire everyone."
The top three finishers, including ties, will earn entries into the prestigious ANNIKA Invitational 2026 in the United States. Each qualifier will also receive US$900 (approximately 30,150 baht) in travel support.