Gabi Ruffels and Grace Kim among Evian Championship leaders
Ruffels and Kim both produced bogey-free rounds of 6-under-par 65 at the fourth major on the women's golf calendar to join Ireland's Leona Maguire and American duo Jennifer Kupcho and Andrea Lee atop the leaderboard.
Two weeks after claiming the Women's PGA Championship in Texas, Lee opened with a 5-under 66 to be sitting just one stroke behind the quintet of first-round leaders in outright sixth.
It is only early days but the leaders at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains could be forgiven for already looking over their shoulders anxiously at the resurgent Lee.
After enduring a 20-month title drought, Lee has burst back to life since switching to a broomstick putter this season.
Returning to the scene of the first of her three major championship triumphs, the 29-year-old rolled in another six birdies at the beautiful French course nestled between Lake Geneva and the Alps.
After finishing with a flurry, picking up four shots in her last seven holes after teeing off from the 10th, Lee is one stroke ahead of American world number one Nelly Korda, who is tied for seventh.
World number six Lee said she was feeling mentally recharged following a well-earned fortnight's break since claiming the third leg of women's golf's fabled career grand slam.
"It's been really good to have the last two weeks off," she said.
"The first week was a little more hectic doing a few media commitments and going out and celebrating.
"Just good laughs, good food, good company, couple drinks here and there, as you do.
"So I've had the past week to just be relaxed and do some practice and get ready for Evian."
Lee famously rallied from seven shots back to win the event in 2021.
It should come as no surprise that she is riding the "happy vibes" from such a memorable comeback win.
"Obviously playing each hole, I can kind of reflect and think back at what happened that round," Lee said.
"Just gives me good energy and just happy vibes, I guess."
A one-time former Australian national junior tennis champion, the super-talented Ruffels credited her flawless round to a refreshing day out at Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old snapped up tickets to the All-England Club from Australian doubles legend Todd Woodbridge, who was coached by Ruffels's father Ray.
'It was definitely a bucket-list thing to do and I'm glad we were able to tick that off," Ruffels said.
"Last time I went, I was six so I didn't really remember it. I wanted to go when I remembered and appreciated it.
"It was such a cool experience. It's just kind of like a perspective switch as well from golf to kind of get in the tennis world."
AAP
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