As Minjee Lee headed a trio of Australians at three-under par, Salas birdied the final three holes for a two-stroke lead over fast-starting fellow American Angel Yin and Japan's Nasa Hataoka.

Yin birdied eight of the first nine holes in her morning round for a front-nine eight-under 28 – one short of the LPGA Tour's nine-hole record.

It matched the third-lowest nine-hole score in relation to par in Tour history.

Salas equalled the course record set by Mike McCullough in the PGA Tour Champions' 1999 Comfort Classic.

“My goal was to finish 18 holes with my silly hand injury, so I definitely had a different mentality; a different approach to the round,” Salas said.

“Things went my way. I hit really good shot after good shot, and just kept staying in the present.”