Eighth-year pro Satoru Hirota carded a sizzling 6-under-par 66 to soar to the top of the leaderboard for the first time in his career after the first round of the Georgia Tokai Classic on Thursday.
The unheralded 29-year-old finished the day two shots ahead of Shingo Katayama.
Taiwanese duo in front
NIISATO, Gunma Pref. (Kyodo) Taiwanese veterans Huang Yu-chen and Tseng Hsiu-feng both carded 4-under-par 68s to share the lead after the first round of the Sankyo Ladies Open on Friday.
Teeing off under clear skies, Huang made seven birdies, five of them coming in a front-nine 32, against three bogeys as she aims to go one better than her runnerup finish at last week's Japan Women's Open.
Tseng, looking to end a two-year winless run, rolled in five birdie putts before three-putting for her only bogey on the 15th hole to join Huang atop the leaderboard.
Takayo Bando finished the day one shot adrift after she birdied three of her first four holes en route to a 69 while Kasumi Fuji and Mayumi Hirase feature in a group of six players a further stroke back.