Yuka Saso stormed into contention after firing a five-under-par 67 at the start of the HSBC Women's World Championship at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Filipino-Japanese, gunning for a second Ladies Professional Golf Association title, sits in solo second place, three shots clear of American Elizabeth Szokol who made one eagle and seven birdies against a lone bogey.

Saso finished the round without a bogey while making birdies on 2, 5, 6, 8 and 16, three of them par-5s.

American world No. 2 Nelly Korda shot a 64 to join a big group tied for third place.

Korda was bogey-free while gunning down four birdies.

Joining Korda were Thais Ariya Jutanugarn and Patty Tavatanakit, Koreans Hyo Joo Kim and Jeongeun Lee6, and Japanese Ayaka Furue.

The leading scores:
64 — Elizabeth Szokol
67 — Yuka Saso
68 — Ariya Jutanugarn, Nelly Korda, Hyo Joo Kim, Patty Tavatanakit, Ayaka Furue, Jeongeun Lee6
69 — Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant, Megan Khang, Eun-Hee Ji, Ashleigh Buhai
70 — Lydia Ko, Atthaya Thitikul, Jenny Shin, In Gee Chun, A Lim Kim, Leona Maguire, Lilia Vu, Hannah Green, Mina Harigae, Celine Boutier, Narin An, Alison Lee, Allisen Corpuz, Jodi Ewart Shadoff
71 — Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Jennifer Kupcho, Chella Choi, Danielle Kang, Yuting Shi, Georgia Hall, Hye-Jin Choi.