Olivia Mehaffey had a hole-in-one in three-under 68 to claim the first round lead and help NCAA champions Arizona State share top spot with Arizona in the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge in California.

It was the perfect start to the spring season for the Royal County Down Ladies star on a day when Lisa Maguire shot a two-over 73 to twin sister Leona's 74 as Duke ended the opening day 12 strokes off the pace in joint ninth.

Mehaffey aced the 200-yard second at Palos Verdes Golf Club with a 19-degree rescue and added five birdies and four bogeys to sign for a 68 that gave her a one-stroke lead over Kaitlyn Papp (Texas),  Kristen Gillman (Alabama) and Gurleen Kaur (Baylor) in the individual standings.

Lisa Maguire had a four-putt double-bogey at the second, where Mehaffey made her ace, and then bogeyed the third before following a birdie at the 11th with closing with a bogey for a three-over 74 and a share of 32nd

World No 1 Leona Maguire failed to make a birdie, carding four bogeys in a seven-hole stretch from the eighth to end the day tied for 39th after a 75, which is her highest round of the 2017-18 season.

She has two wins from her first four starts this year, capturing the Jim West Challenge in September and the Tar Heel Invitational in October.

Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes Estates (Par 71)

Team / Individual

1 Olivia Mehaffey (Arizona State) 68
T2 Kaitlyn Papp (Texas) 69
T2 Kristen Gillman (Alabama) 69
T2 Gurleen Kaur (Baylor) 69
T5 Bethany Wu (UCLA) 70
T5 Chih-Min Chen (Oklahoma State) 70
T5 Haley Moore (Arizona) 70
T8 Gigi Stoll (Arizona) 71
T8 Andrea Lee (Stanford) 71
T8 Madison Kerley (Arizona State) 71
T8 Taylor Tomlinson (Florida) 71
T8 Patty Tavatanakit (UCLA) 71
T8 Sarah Cho (Northwestern) 71
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T32 Lisa Maguire (Duke) 74
T39  Leona Maguire (Duke) 75