KUALA LUMPUR: Ainil Johani Abu Bakar fired a brilliant seven-under 65 to charge ahead at the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open on Friday.

The 27-year-old Malaysian was unperturbed by stifling conditions at the Hong Kong Golf Club, carding eight birdies in her blazing round on the Old Course at Fanling.

Ainil, whose last win came at the EVLI Ladies Finnish Open last August, leads by one shot from Supamas Sangchan of Thailand, with China’s Li Jiayun and Taiwan’s Pan Yen-ling a further shot back at five-under.

Sanctioned by the China LPGA Tour, the three-day US$150,000 tournament is the first and only ladies golf event in Hong Kong to offer Rolex Ranking points.

Aretha Pan Herng and Michele Low opened their campaigns with matching 75s while Michelle Koh was a further shot adrift.