Lee, Hillier starts well with Woburn

Minjee Lee on her way to 71 today in Woburn. Image: Getty

World No. 4 Minjee Lee and another West Australian professional Whitney Hillier are the best Australians in the British Open of AIG Women after the first round at Woburn Golf Club north of London.

Lee and Hillier, who pre-qualified to enter the field for the $ US4.5 million tournament, both shot one-under par 71s to be just outside the top 30 through 18 holes.

But the field tore up the park lane, led by Ashleigh Buhai from South Africa, who had eight birds in her opening 65.

Buhai leads through a shot from the American Danielle Kang and the Japanese Hinaku Shibuno.

The big names such as Ariya Jutanugarn (67) and Sung Hyun Park (66) are well placed.

Of the other Australians, Su Oh and Sarah Kemp started with equal rounds, Hannah Green started with a 73, Karrie Webb with a 75 and Katherine Kirk with a 76.

MEANWHILE in North Carolina, Cameron Smith and Cameron Davis were the best-performed Aussies on day one of the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour, the last event in the regular season.

Smith shot a 66 to get into the top 30 and continued with the form that placed him in the Presidential Cup calculations. Later in the day, Davis shot through the back nine to match Smith's four-under-total.

Young pistols Curtis Luck and Davis try to secure their playing cards for next season and have to fight this week, but Luck (70) is well back in the pack.