Large guns locked and loaded

Chella Choi today uses body language on the Carlsbad greens.

It starts to look a lot like the majors season during the LPGA Tour as & # 39; the world's best, including the Australian Minjee Lee, to tune into the Kia Classic near San Diego.

Lee, ranked number 3 in the world, is in fourth place after the opening round in Carlsbad, three of the leader of Chella Choi.

But with the ANA Inspiration looming next week at nearby Rancho Mirage, Lee has all the big guns around her as they prepare for the first major of the year.

World number 4 Jin Young Ko, won last week in Phoenix, is right back in the mix and shares third place with Lee – just like world number 1 Sung Hyun Park, world number 2 Ariya Jutanugarn and Olympic champion Inbee Park.

Lee, who started the 10th hole today, made eight parachutes and a bird in the lead, but roared with four birdies from the first to the seventh at home before closing with a bogey.

Choi went well at four through fifteen, but birdied her last three holes to get two out of five from Stephanie Meadow in Northern Ireland.

Katherine Kirk is the second best Aussie on an equal footing, while Hannah Green is still fighting. Su Oh (+4) and Sarah Jane Smith (+9), however, will need a good second round to be done at the weekend.

LEADERBOARD