A day after close friend and 2019 champion Hannah Green declared they would both celebrate a victory with a ‘shoey’ made famous by F1 superstar Daniel Ricciardo, Oh has put herself right in the mix, a first round of 3-under 69 putting her just shot back of Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh among those in the morning field at Oregon Golf Club.

Beginning her round from the 10th tee, Oh made birdies at both the 10th and 12th holes to burst out of the blocks and when she added a third at the par-5 15th she put herself in position to post the low round of the day.

Those aspirations took a hit when she made a double-bogey six at the par-4 second but recovered quickly with birdies at three and six to make a strong start to the tournament.

Hitting nine of 14 fairways and just 10 of 18 greens, putting proved to be Oh’s saviour on day one, needing just 24 putts in her round including two crucial sand saves for par that have kept her in the hunt.

Green will be eager to see an improvement in her driving after hitting just six of 14 fairways in her opening round of 1-over par 73 while Katherine Kirk (75) and Sarah Jane Smith (76) require a significant turnaround in their second rounds to qualify for the weekend.

On the Ladies European Tour overnight Stephanie Kyriacou is the best-placed of the Australians in a tie for 16th after shooting 1-under 70 in her first round of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, Whitney Hillier two shots back in a share of 36th.

With one round to play in the Lavaux Ladies Open on the LET Access Series, Queensland’s Amy Walsh is tied for 28th after rounds of 75-71 to be 2-over for the tournament. Kristalle Blum (73-79) has missed the cut.