Miyu Yamashita, of Japan, hits off the sixth tee during...

Miyu Yamashita, of Japan, hits off the sixth tee during the first round of the LPGA FM Championship golf tournament in Norton, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa

NORTON, Mass. — Sei Young Kim capped a second-nine spree with an chip-in eagle and shot an 8-under 64 on Thursday at the TPC Boston to take the first-round lead in the FM Championship.

Kim played a six-hole stretch in 6 under with four birdies and the eagle on the par-5 seventh. The South Korean player had only 24 putts as she tries to build on a third-place finish last week in the CPKC Women’s Open.

“I feel like this course is a little softer, greens are a little softer than last year,” Kim said. “That’s why I was able to get a lot of birdie chance, even front nine.”

Miyu Yamashita, the runaway winner Sunday in Edmonton, Alberta, was a stroke back along with Emily Kristine Pedersen.

After tying the LPGA Tour's 72-hole scoring record in her nine-stroke victory in Canada, Yamashita led the field with 10 birdies, but had a double bogey on the par-3 eighth. The Japanese star played the back nine in 30 with seven birdies in eight holes. She also had just 24 putts.

“Today putting, middle putting," Yamashita said. "So good.”

Somi Lee opened with a 66.

Emily Kristine Pedersen, of Denmark, reacts after missing a birdie...

Emily Kristine Pedersen, of Denmark, reacts after missing a birdie on the 10th hole during the first round of the LPGA FM Championship golf tournament in Norton, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa

Top-ranked Nelly Korda had a 72 in the final event before the Solheim Cup. All 10 players atop the women's ranking are in the field.

The $4.4 million purse is the largest outside of the majors on the LPGA Tour.

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