No birdie fiesta at Ford Championship for Irish pair

A string of five consecutive birdies led Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn to the first-round lead at the inaugural Ford Championship in Arizona.

Anannarukarn shot a nine-under-par 63 at Seville Golf and Country Club, leaving her with a one-stroke advantage.

American Lilia Vu, Germany's Isi Gabsa, Australian Gabriela Ruffels and Spaniards Azahara Munoz and Carlota Ciganda share second place at eight under. South Korea's Kyo Joo Kim and France's Celine Boutier are tied for seventh at seven under.

Eleven players, including world number one Nelly Korda, are at six under, tied for ninth.

Not getting in on the birdie fiesta were Irish challengers Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow, who both sit outside the projected three-under cutline after their opening rounds.

Maguire started on the 10th and bogeys on 13 and 15 were sandwiched by birdies on 12 and 16, with her front nine featuring eight pars and a solitary birdie on the par-five fifth.

Meadow is a shot behind her Olympic team-mate, on level par, after a steady round featuring just two birdies and two bogeys.

Anannarukarn began on the back nine and was enjoying an impressive round through 13 holes: four birdies and nine pars. Then she closed with birdies at holes five, six, seven, eight and nine to conclude her day.

"It was a great day out there," she said. "I actually was in the zone. I didn't realise that I holed my fifth birdie in a row on the ninth green, but it was a great day. ...

"I played some really good shots today. Hit a lot of good driver off the tee and gave me a lot of benefit just going into the green with short irons. I was able to just hit some good long irons in as well, so that helped."

Ciganda had a similar hot streak in her bogey-free round. After starting on the