The two Welsh players in the field of 144 are performing well on home soil.

Lydia Hall, who came through qualifying earlier this week, is at level par playing the 17th and has put together a very solid round.

Further back, Darcey Harry is also level par after five holes of her opening round.

Lottie Woad is just off the right side of the fourth fairway but in the shortest cut of rough, so that shouldn't affect her too much. And it doesn't - she's on the green with a long birdie chance.

Meanwhile, 2023 Women's Open champion Lilia Vu finds the really long grass off the tee and is facing a battle to save par.

There's a distinctly Japanese vibe to the top of the leaderboard at Royal Porthcawl.

Eri Okayama leads the way on four under par and of the top seven players at three under or better, five of them are Japanese.

Image source, Getty Images

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

A first setback of the day for Lottie Woad at the third - but ultimately it’s a decent bogey.

Having been a little unfortunate to see her second shot roll into the sand, Woad could not keep her bunker shot on the green and then hit a slightly heavy chip.

She holes a tricky putt coming back down the slope to ensure only one shot goes, and is back to level.

Lottie Woad finds trouble on the third.

The 21-year-old finds the greenside bunker in two and her escape from the sand finds the slope which takes her ball away from the putting surface - she'll have to chip from off the green with her fourth.

In the end it's a great up-and-down from there for bogey.

In fact it's a trio of bogeys for this group and, after birdies for all three on the opening hole, they have all now slipped back.

Image source, PA Media

Another fine approach shot from Nelly Korda but once more the American can't take the chance with her putter.

She holes for par, as do Ariya Jutanugarn and Angel Yin.

Andrew Richards
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

A real rollercoaster of a round for Charley Hull with six birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey.

Work to do to catch the leaders tomorrow.

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Charley Hull's iron shot on the approach to the green on the par-five 18th is a little too powerful and flies past the pin.

But a nice chip gives her a birdie chance and Hull duly knocks in a simple putt for a round of 73.

World number two Jeeno Thitikul had briefly topped the leaderboard but misses a chance for a birdie at the last to finish her round two under alongside Minjee Lee.

A brilliant approach shot from Nelly Korda puts the American about five feet from the pin, but the world number one can't capitalise and slides her birdie attempt just wide. She rolls her head back in frustration.

Korda settles for a par. As do Ariya Jutanugarn and Angel Yin.

Leader Eri Okayama was in trouble in the rough but rescues the situation well to save par on the 11th.

She is one shot clear of a group of six players currently at three under.

Currently 34 players are under par.

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You can listen to radio commentary of all four rounds of the Women's Open on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3 - click on the link at the top of this page to listen alongside our text updates.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

Lottie Woad tidies up for par at the second and there is another cheer from the huge gallery following this group.

A very solid start.

Image source, PA Media

Lottie Woad gets a look at another birdie putt on the second green. This one is a lot further out than the one that dropped on the first. It's a pretty decent lag putt, not quite a guaranteed par, but she knocks it in for a four.

Lydia Ko judges her putt from similar range almost perfectly - one more roll and it would have been another birdie.

Lilia Vu's long par putt misses just to the right of the cup and she gives a shot straight back.

Here we go then. World number one Nelly Korda tees off on the first and hammers a drive right down the middle of the fairway.

She's paired with Thai 2016 winner Ariya Jutanugarn, who plops her drive just to the right of Korda's.

American Angel Yin is also in the group and also finds the fairway.

This really has been a rollercoaster opening round for Charley Hull as she chalks up a fourth consecutive bogey at the 17th.

Hull mutters in frustration after she misses a relatively routine putt for par. Perhaps some slight undulation causes her ball to just slide past the hole.

World number two Jeeno Thitikul is also cursing as she too drops a shot after squandering a par putt.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

What a start for Lottie Woad as she holes a lengthy putt for birdie on the first.

There are few fans close to the first green because it is right at the edge of the golf course, but a roar goes up around various long-range vantage points.

All three safely on the green so birdie attempts to come for the three Ls - Lydia, Lilia and Lottie.

Lottie Woad goes first from about 25 feet. In the hole! That's a decent way to start!

Lilia Vu follows Woad in for a three from about 15 feet, and so does Lydia Ko!

This group have started in spectacular fashion.

Image source, Getty Images

Nelly Korda is one of the numerous golfers to have a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2, which was released a few days ago.

Had she watched it before her pre-tournament news conference?

"I haven't, we wanted to all be together in the house to watch it for the first time," she said.

"It was so cool getting to meet Adam Sandler, getting to be part of that process and actually seeing how difficult acting is from that point of view. That scene with Shooter was amazing to see just from my point of view, his acting and how much it takes.

"That scene took all day. It was like a 20-second scene. The appreciation for their lifestyle and their job definitely grew for me."

Image source, Getty Images

World number one Nelly Korda finished in a tie for second spot at last year's Women's Open and is hoping to win a third major of her career this week.

Asked in her pre-tournament news conference how important it is to her for her to win at venues all over the world, the American said: "I feel like I don't really have anything more to prove to people ever.

"I'm passionate about the game. I love the game. I love playing in these kind of conditions, testing my game and getting to play against the best players in the world.

"Having something to prove to myself, I don't think I really need to do that. For me it's just enjoying it and being in the heat of the battle.

"Of course I want to accomplish more. There are goals that I have, goals that I set for myself.

"My goal is to prepare the best that I can, enjoy myself and hopefully be in contention. And then kind of enjoy the ride because, as many highs as I've had, I've had a lot of lows too with this sport, but I still come back and I still want to experience those highs in all the different circumstances, different golf courses, different conditions and just continue to grow my love for the game."

Image source, Getty Images

Charley Hull finds the rough with her tee shot at the 16th but recovers well with a nice chip onto the green.

It gives her a fairly straightforward putt for par but Hull fluffs it and a bogey pushes her back to one over.

Jeeno Thitikul also drops a shot to lose her spot at the top of the leaderboard.