Australian great Karrie Webb is aiming to turn back the clock after making a flying start to the Women’s PGA Championship.

It’s been nine years since Karrie Webb won the last of her seven major championship titles, but the 40-year-old Queenslander is back in the early mix at Westchester Country Club.

With the lure of golf’s return to the Olympics in Rio next year, Webb showed her game can still match the best as she shot a five-under-par 68 to be tied third after the first round.

The former world No.1 shot out of the blocks with birdies on three of her first four holes in a six-birdie round and finished two shots behind outright leader Jenny Shin of South Korea.

Shin shot a bogey-free 66 at the Westchester Country Club to lead by one from 17-year-old Canadian sponsor invitee Brooke Henderson who turned pro last December.

Surprise packet Henderson bogeyed the final hole to drop a shot back after Shin birdied the 18th.

Hall of Famer Webb led the Australian contingent with teenage rookie Minjee Lee (71) next best, tied 40th in a large group including New Zealand’s World No.1 Lydia Ko.

Sarah Kemp shot a 74, Katherine Kirk a 75 and Sarah Jane Smith a 77.

Shin admitted she had her eye on the leaderboard throughout her round.

“I was chasing the leaderboard all day and I was surprised that Webby was at 6 at one point and thought, how is she shooting 6-under par,” Shin said.

“I got there and I was like, maybe I can get one more on the 18th hole and I did.”