GUANGZHOU, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Liu Yujie set the early pace at the Jackfish Guangdong Women's Open on Thursday as the Beijing amateur carded a bogey-free 67 for a one-stroke lead at the RMB700,000 CLPG Tour event.

With the course conditions soft at Huamei Luhu Golf and Country Club after two days of rain in the capitali city of the Guangdong Province, Singapore pro Amanda Tan was equal second on 68, tied with Thailand's Ornnicha Konsunthea.

Wang Zixuan, the CLPG Tour Points Ranking leader, was alone in the fourth place after a 69, one shot ahead of a group six players on two-under 70 that included Thai veteran Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong and top amateur Xu Ying.

Liu, who lost in a second-hole playoff to Cao Xinyu last year in Zhuhai when the tournament was contested as the Golf Liquor Guangdong Women's Open, started her morning round from the back nine and rode a hot putter to card five birdies, including one at her last hole, the 518-yard, par-five ninth.

"My mentality was really good today. My putting and short game were excellent. This course is quite complex, but I tried to simplify it today, so I'm quite satisfied with my round," said the 15-year-old Liu who was eighth at the Girl's Junior PGA Championship in the U.S. state of Indiana earlier this month.

"I had no three-putts and I didn't miss anything within 10 feet. So I'm really happy about that. I've always felt that putting has been one of my strengths since I was young. If my putting isn't good, it's usually not a technical issue but more of a mental one."

Tan, the 26-year-old veteran, put herself in contention for her second CLPG Tour title with a strong opening round over the mountainous Huamei Luhu layout with a round featuring six birdies and two bogeys in the hot and humid conditions.

"This course is very tough and demanding, not just on the tee shots but on the putting greens as well. The speed of greens today was a little bit faster, so you just got to be careful," she said. "Also, you have to be smart with where you finish the ball, and where you put the ball. So it is a very tough course. For me I got a little bit lucky here and there and fortunately some putts made it."

Ornnicha also started on the back nine and finished strongly with four birdies over her last eight holes in the hunt for her first CLPG Tour title.

"My driving and putting were very good and I could make birdies, so my game is very good today," said the 28-year-old who won last month at a domestic event in her native Thailand. "This is a good score for me because the golf course is very hard. The course is so long and the greens slope."

Zhou Shiyuan, China's top amateur and world No. 25, opened with a 71 to put herself in the hunt for her fourth CLPG Tour title. ■