FRANCE 10 Sept 2015, (AFP) - Florida's Thompson, who first played in the event as a 15-year-old in 2010, and Lee, who only has one win on the LPGA Tour, finished a shot ahead of South Korean Ji Eun-Hee, Thailand’s Phatlum Pornanong and American Gerina Piller.
The teenage World No.2 Lydia Ko, in her final attempt to become the youngest winner of a women’s major, was handily placed on 69, but World No.1 Park In-Bee had to settle for a one over par 72.
Starting from the tenth tee, 20-year-old Thompson, already a major champion at last year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, was in the fourth group out and she surged into the lead with a super run of birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie from the 12th.
She hit a seven-iron approach and made a 25-foot putt for the three at the 499-yard 13th.
"It feels great to have a stretch of holes like that in a major championship. I hit good shots off the tee and made the putts," she said.
With the Solheim Cup taking place in Germany next week, Thompson, a member of Team USA, is keenly aware of the importance of a perfect warm-up.
"These are two really big weeks," said Thompson, who hopes to stop Europe making it three wins in a row.
"The Solheim Cup was my No.1 goal this season. To be on the team and represent my country is a big deal.
"But you have to focus this week on the Evian Championship. I have great memories of this place and I always love coming back."
New Zealander Ko, runner-up to Suzann Pettersen in 2013, was reasonably content with her opening two under round.
"I left a couple of shots out there," said the 18-year-old, who finished tied eighth last year.
"But it was a solid start and hopefully I can have a slightly better score tomorrow. The course is quite dry but that can’t be helped after the exceptionally warm summer they have had here."
Ko was in the star grouping alongside Park and World No.3 Stacy Lewis (73), and was the only one to finish under par.
Park, bidding for a third major of the season, had her ups and downs.
"I’m a little bit disappointed but I’m not out of it," said the 27-year-old after a round of three birdies and four bogeys.
Lee was delighted with her form. She had seven birdies to join Thompson at the top with a birdie at the ninth, her 18th hole.
"I played and putted well," said the 22-year-old who enjoyed her breakthrough win as a professional in last year’s Mizuno Classic in Japan.
Leading first round scores at the USLPGA Evian Championship on Thursday (par 71):
66 – Lexi Thompson (USA), Lee Mi-Hyang (KOR)
67 – Ji Eun-Hee (KOR), Phatlum Pornanong (THA), Gerina Piller (USA)
68 – Minjee Lee (AUS), Nicole Broch Larsen (SWE), Beth Allen (USA), Feng Shanshan (CHN), Kim Sei-Young (KOR) Lee Min (KOR)
69 – Jenny Shin (KOR), Lydia Ko (NZL), Caroline Hedwall (SWE), Morgan Pressel (USA), Ko Jin-Young (KOR)
70 – Brittany Lincicome (USA), Pernilla Lindberg (SWE), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (GBR), Mariajo Uribe (COL), Brooke Henderson (CAN), Alison Lee (USA), Charley Hull (GBR), Jennifer Song (USA), Haru Nomura (JAP)
71 – Jacqui Concolino (USA), Lin Xi Yu (CHN), Sandra Gal (GER), Lee Il-Hee (KOR), Lee Mirim (KOR). Karine Icher (FRA), Kim In-Kyung (KOR), Candie Kung (TAI), Mina Harigae (USA), Alison Walshe (USA), Lee Meena (KOR), Brittany Lang (USA), Karrie Webb (AUS), Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)