Rancho Mirage, California, United States: LPGA Tour rookie Paphangkorn 'Patty' Tavatanakit soared to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round of the 50th edition of the ANA Inspiration.

Thanks to a bogey-free six-under-par 66 at Mission Hills Country Club, the 21-year-old Thai claimed the headlines with an eye-catching performance in the first Major championship of 2021.

“It was a pretty calm and relaxing day. I just stuck to my gameplan and didn’t get too greedy. I know it’s a Major, it’s tough, the course is really tough,” said Tavatanakit, a stalwart of the triumphant Asia-Pacific teams that defeated Europe in the Patsy Hankins Trophy in 2016 and 2018, prior to her turning professional.

“I was just being really patient and I was waiting for putts to drop, and they did on the back nine,” added Tavatanakit, who shared 15th place in the inaugural Women’s Asia-Pacific Amateur in Singapore in 2018.

Tavatanakit, who has never led or co-led after the first round before in her young LPGA Tour career, said she’s still processing what it takes to continue grinding toward the top of the leaderboard.

Tavatanakit, who won three times on the Symetra Tour in 2019 and has already posted a top-five and top-15 finish on this season’s LPGA Tour, added: “Today, even though it’s a six-under, it was not perfect golf. But I would take that any day. It’s still my rookie year so there is a lot to learn. Everyone is good out here, so you have to show a lot of respect to the other players. It’s not like I dominate the course. I still have to execute. I still have to hit good shots. I still have to play smart.

“I can’t ever get ahead of myself out there because literally anyone could shoot low numbers and sneak up there really quickly.”

Heading into Friday’s second round, the 2019 ANA Inspiration low amateur has a host of Tour winners and Major champions hot on her heels.

Fellow Tour rookie Leona Maguire and 2012 KPMG Women’s PGA champion Feng Shanshan are one stroke back in a tie for second.

Feng, playing in her first event since the 2019 CME Group Tour Championship, carded a first-round 67 and said she had little expectations in her first round back on Tour.

She said: “Last year was a difficult year for everybody. I made a decision in the middle of the year to go back to China and take some time off with my friends and family at home. I really enjoyed the time over there, but of course I missed playing. So, I started to practice a few months ago. I tried to come back little earlier but I couldn’t because of the visa."

Megan Khang, who recorded her first sub-70 round at the ANA inspiration with her 68, is tied with Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and Swede Anna Nordqvist for a share of fourth.

Defending champion Mirim Lee is among eight players in a tie for eighth at three-under.