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Paula Creamer carded a bogey-free seven-under-par to surge to the front at the Evian Championship, while Australian Katherine Kirk is six shots off.

Veteran Katherine Kirk is six back of leader Paula Creamer after day one of the Evian Championship in France, the only Australian to finish the first round under par.

American Creamer carded a bogey-free seven-under-par to surge to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round on Thursday.

Queenslander Kirk ended a sweltering 36C day - France's hottest on record - at one under and finished her round in style with a nerve-free two-putt birdie.

"It's a fun golf course because you have to pay attention on every tee shot and every approach shot," Kirk said.

"I like that sort of golf where you have to focus.

"Today was kind of an outback adventure, we were all over the map. So I'm happy that I'm in the red."

American Brittany Altomare joined South Korean trio Inbee Park, Ko Jin-young and Lee Mi-hyang at six under.

Victorian Su Oh battled to a first round three over while Australia's newest major champion Hannah Green had a rocky return, bogeying three of her opening four holes.

She rallied brilliantly, rattling off four birdies in a ten-hole stretch, but shot a double-bogey seven on her last hole of the day, dropping her back to one over for the day.

"Three over through four wasn't exactly what I was going for but I was really proud that I got it at least back to -1 with one to play," Green said.

"I've still got plenty of golf left to be played in this championship."

Fellow Australian Sarah Kemp carded a gritty one over, picking up a stroke with a birdie on the second hole, before a string of ten straight pars and bogeys on the 13th and 16th.

World No.4 Minjee Lee seemed to be cruising at one over after 16 holes but disaster struck when she went long over the green on the 17th for a double bogey seven, finishing at four over.