Miyu Yamashita chases a sixth title after grabbing the LPGA lead in Japan.

Miyu Yamashita shares the first-round LPGA lead in Japan as she tries for two wins in a row.

OMITAMA, Japan — Miyu Yamashita, who won the LPGA's Maybank Championship in Malaysia over the weekend, was among three players atop the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the Toto Japan Classic.

Yamashita and fellow Japanese players Aki Iwai and Sayaka Takahashi each shot 6-under-66s for a one-stroke lead.

A group of three players sits one shot off the pace.

Minami Hiruta, Pajaree Anannarukarn and Fuka Suga all shot 67 on Thursday.

Nine players, including defending champion Nasa Hataoka, were two strokes back after shooting 68s.

The Toto Japan Classic is played at the Taiheiyo Club, a 6,598-yard layout.

This tournament is the last of four events in the LPGA's late-season Asian swing.

Yamashita's win last weekend at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia marked her fifth worldwide victory in 2026.

A victory this week would give her a sixth title worldwide for the year.

It would also mark back-to-back wins on two different continents in a span of eight days.

Aki Iwai, who shares the lead, is also coming off a strong finish.

Iwai recorded a T-2 finish in late September at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

Sayaka Takahashi, the third co-leader, is looking for her first LPGA win.

The field in Omitama includes several top players.

Defending champion Nasa Hataoka enters as the player to beat after winning here last year.

Jeeno Thitikul is also in the field and is considered the favorite to win for a fifth time this year.

Thitikul has been dominant throughout the 2026 LPGA season.

Yamashita's recent form has been exceptional.

She won the Maybank Championship in Malaysia over the weekend, beating a strong international field.

That victory came after a season that already included multiple wins on the LPGA and other tours.

Her five worldwide titles in 2026 put her among the most successful players on the LPGA this year.

A sixth win would strengthen her case for player of the year honors.

The Toto Japan Classic is the final opportunity for players to earn points and prize money on the Asian swing.

The tournament features a mix of LPGA regulars and Japanese players who qualify through local exemptions.

Yamashita, who is Japanese, has strong support from home crowds at this event.

Playing in front of home fans adds an extra layer of pressure and motivation.

The first round saw scoring conditions that allowed several players to go low.

Six under par was the number to beat, and three players reached it.

The leaderboard is crowded at the top, with multiple players within striking distance.

A one-stroke lead means the tournament is wide open heading into the second round.

Yamashita will need to maintain her form over the next three days to secure the win.