Chizzy Iwai exploded out of the gate at the JM Eagle LA Championship, setting a blistering pace that left the field chasing her shadow. The 23-year-old Japanese star played her first seven holes in a stunning 7-under par, a run she capped with an eagle on the par-5 16th, to fire a 9-under 63 and seize a two-stroke lead after Thursday's opening round.

Iwai's morning round at the tree-lined El Caballero Country Club—hosting the event for a second straight year while Wilshire Country Club undergoes renovations—was a masterclass in fast starts. After a par on her opening hole, she reeled off five consecutive birdies before the eagle on 16, putting her in a commanding position heading into the weekend. "I had a good feeling," Iwai said of her peaceful morning start, though she admitted the dream of a 58 or 59 faded as she realized, "golf is not easy."

This hot start is especially timely, as this tournament serves as the final tune-up before next week's first major of the season, the Chevron Championship in Houston. Iwai, who earned her first LPGA Tour victory last year in Mexico, will look to carry this momentum forward.

Chasing her are a trio of players tied for second at 7-under 65. That group includes former UCLA standout Patty Tavatanakit, who carded eight birdies, along with major winner Sei Young Kim and Suvichaya Vinijchaitham. Tavatanakit credited a day of sharp ball-striking and confident putting for her strong start.

Further down the leaderboard, the storylines are just as compelling. Lauren Coughlin, fresh off her breakthrough win two weeks ago in Las Vegas, sits in a logjam at 66. Defending champion Hannah Green, who won the last two editions of this event at Wilshire, opened with a 67, proving her comfort in Los Angeles extends to the new venue. Meanwhile, Hyo Joo Kim, the tour's only two-time winner this season, is part of a group at 68 that includes former UCLA star and world No. 1 Lilia Vu.

With a major on the horizon and a packed leaderboard, the stage is set for a thrilling weekend of golf in Los Angeles as Chizzy Iwai aims to hold off a hungry field.