Yuka Saso of the Philippines carded a 2-under 69 for a strong Round 1 at the US Women's Open on Thursday (US time).

Saso, who finished sixth at the Lotte Championship in April, was 2 shots behind co-leaders Mel Reid of England and 17-year-old high-school student Megha Ganne at San Francisco's Olympic Club.

The reigning Asian Games champion, who notched 4 birdies and a pair of bogeys, was joint sixth with Shanshan Feng of China and American Lexi Thompson.

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Reid and American amateur Ganne kept their putters hot amid chilly conditions to card matching 67 and sit tied for the lead.

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Reid, who went out as part of the morning wave amid dense coastal fog, carded 5 birdies and a bogey to take a 1-stroke clubhouse lead at 4-under early on at the major.

Her lead appeared safe until Ganne came out of nowhere in the sunnier afternoon to put on a putting clinic of her own.

Ganne pulled into a share of the lead with a birdie on the par-3 15th and took the lead on the next hole with her sixth birdie of the day on the par-five 16th.

But an errant tee shot on her final hole found the rough and the ensuing bogey dropped her back into a share of the lead.

Ganne, who played in the tournament 2 years ago as a 15-year-old, said taming her nerves was key to her success.

"I think the first time is nerve-racking for anybody — meeting your idols and being on the stage for the first time," she said.

"But the second time around, even the practice rounds, I wasn't as nervous."

Brooke Henderson (68) looked set to finish tied for the lead but three-putted the last for a bogey, dropping into a share of third with Angel Yin and Megan Khang at 3 under.

Defending champion Kim A-lim was not so lucky, the South Korean limping home with an eight-over 79.

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Leading scores after Round 1 on Thursday (USA unless noted, a-denotes amateur, par-71):

67 - Mel Reid (ENG), a-Megha Ganne

68 - Angel Yin, Megan Khang, Brooke Henderson (CAN)

69 - YUKA SASO (PHILIPPINES), Feng Shanshan (CHN), Lexi Thompson

70 - Ko Jin-young (KOR) Marina Alex, Austin Ernst, Jennifer Kupcho, Lee6 Jeong-eun (KOR), Wichanee Meechai (THA), Lauren Stephenson

71 - Mina Harigae, a-Gurleen Kaur, Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP), Ariya Jutanugarn (THA), Ally Ewing, Madelene Sagstrom (SWE), a-Maja Stark (SWE), Lydia Ko (NZL), Park In-bee (KOR), Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN)

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