Korean golfer Lee Jee-young birdied seven straight holes to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA's Safeway Classic on Friday.

The 20-year-old rookie had an 8-under-64 on the par-72 course at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

Lee eagled the par-5 No. seven hole before going on to hit birdies on the first seven holes of the back nine.

The defending champion South Korean Kang Soo-yun, who won her first and only LPGA victory in Portland, had a 7-over 79 on Friday.

Another South Korean Mi Hyun Kim was at 5-under.