A miraculous eagle has rescued Lydia Ko's first round in Rio as women's golf ended a 116-year absence from the Olympic Games.
The Kiwi didn't initially rise to the occasion but her three-under for the back nine was as good as anybody's, lifting her to 11th overall.
It featured a brilliant 135-yard approach shot which found the hole on the par-four 15th - a moment to savour on a hot, still afternoon.
Ko, the world No 1, shot a two-under 69 to be four shots behind the Thai leader and world No 2 Ariya Jutanugarn.
The Thai finished the round with a 6-under 65 for a one-shot lead over seven-time major champion Inbee Park and Seiyoung Kim, both of South Korea.
It is the first time for women's golf to be in the Olympics since the Paris Games in 1900, and back then it was only a nine-hole competition.
Ko missed several fairways while her approach play left her with few realistic birdie chances on the front nine. Successive bogeys on the third and fourth holes were followed by a birdie on the sixth as the 19-year-old competed in a 60-woman field.
Two pinpoint approach shots on the 10th and 11th resulted in birdies before a dropped shot on the 13th was more than atoned for by her spectacular iron shot two holes later.
Ko was in the last group to tee off at the Marapendi course but the wind wasn't the factor she had feared it might be.
Medals will be awarded on Saturday in Rio (local time) after four rounds.
