Golfers Kim Min-joo and Kim Sae-rom finished tied for the lead on the first day of the Korea Women's Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour Aurora World Championship.

Kim Min-joo shot a 7-under-par 65 with seven birdies and no bogeys in the first round held at Aurora Golf & Resort in Wonju, Gangwon Province.

Kim Sae-rom recorded 7-under-par with one eagle and five birdies.

Getting off to a flying start, the two players claimed the co-lead, sitting two strokes ahead of tied-third-place finishers Park Ye-ji and Hong Jin-young (Hong Jin-young 2).

Kim Min-joo, who secured her first career victory at the iM Financial Open in April of last year, is aiming for her second career win, while Kim Sae-rom, who has yet to win a regular tour title, is chasing her maiden victory.

Park Ye-ji and Hong Jin-young (Hong Jin-young 2) tied for third at 5-under-par, while Lee Ye-won, who has 10 career regular tour victories, tied for fifth at 4-under-par alongside Lee Ji-hyun (Lee Ji-hyun 3).

Heo Yoon-seo, Choi Eun-woo, Ahn Ji-hyun, Park Bo-gyeom, and Jung Yoon-ji followed in a tie for seventh at 3-under-par.

Kim Min-sol, who leads the multi-win, prize money, and Player of the Year points races with three victories this season, did not participate in this tournament as she is competing in the AIG Women's Open, a major championship on the LPGA Tour. Seo Kyo-rim, who sits second behind Kim Min-sol in the prize money rankings and Player of the Year points with two wins this season, finished the first day tied for 24th at 1-under-par.

Defending champion Bae So-hyun got off to a sluggish start, finishing at 2-over-par.

The tournament, which features a total purse of 1 billion won and a winner's prize of 180 million won, will be held across four rounds through this coming Sunday (August 2).

(Photo: Provided by KLPGA)