They finished at one under 71 as American Ally Ewing snatched a one-shot lead over the field after a late charge enabled her to finish with a four under 68.

The pair head Australia’s six-strong contingent, which is well in the hunt for the year’s final major after the first round.

Minjee Lee has made a decent if uneven start to her bid for a third major title, shooting a level-par 72.

Lee, seeking to win a major for the third successive year after a largely disappointing 2023 campaign, recorded four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey in her early-morning start at the distinguished Ryder Cup course in Surrey, south-west of London.

Despite the helter-skelter finish to her round, following up her double bogey six at the 15th with two birdies and then a bogey at the last, Lee's 72 represented a solid opening on a day when only four shots separated the top 59 players, who all shot level par rounds or better.

Kim, who recovered from a couple of bogeys in the first five holes, and Kemp, continuing her good form from last week's Scottish Open, with five birdies offsetting four bogeys, also cashed in on the gentle morning conditions.

Grace Kim was rock solid in the opening round. PHOTO: Getty Images.

The other three Australians are well in the hunt too, with Steph Kyriacou, Hannah Green and Kelsey Bennett all at one over, just five off the pace.

Bennett, who survived a sudden death playoff in qualifying to make it into the championship, threatened a late surge with a trio of birdies starting at the 10th but she handed that advantage back with three straight bogeys down the stretch to drop back to one over.

Kyriacou, the first Australian in action in the opening round, suffered a bogey at the last in a disappointing finale but she could console herself that she was on the same score posted by American World No.1 Nelly Korda, and was one ahead of Evian champion Celine Boutier, who is seeking her third win in successive weeks.

Ewing took pole position with a spectacular finish, sinking a birdie on the 15th and an eagle from just five-foot at the par-5 16th to sign for a round of 68, which included four other birdies.

American Ally Ewing heads the field by one stroke after a four under 68. PHOTO: Getty Images.

"Obviously it's exciting to get in with a good first round, but it's a long way to go until Sunday," said 30-year-old Ewing, a three-time LPGA tournament winner from Mississippi.

"I set myself a little bit of a target, although this is probably conservative ... finish the first round top-30 or better. That's what I had in mind, but that doesn't mean that a top-30 place is what I'm trying to shoot for."

Rose Zhang, the new American sensation who turned pro this year and has been making spectacular progress, got up-and-down for par from a greenside bunker at the 18th to finish level-par with a 72, while defending champion Ashleigh Buhai is two over.

– Ian Chadband, AAP, additional reporting Brendan James.