Marco Penge set a new course record to earn a two-shot lead at the Danish Golf Championship.
The Englishman was blemish-free in his seven-under-par 64 after recording an eagle and five birdies during the first round at Fureso Golf Klub.
Penge needed to birdie the 18th hole during the second round of the Genesis Championship in South Korea last October to ensure his playing rights for this season, and he has not looked back since.
Despite a three-month enforced break due to a breach of DP World Tour betting regulations earlier in the campaign, the 27-year-old has enjoyed a breakout year which has seen him lift his maiden title at the Hainan Classic and finish in the top 30 in six of his last seven starts.
Home favourite Rasmus Hojgaard carded eight birdies, a double bogey and a dropped shot to surge into a share of second place at five under alongside Francesco Molinari – the 2018 Open champion – who chipped in for eagle to reach that mark.
Germany's Jeremy Paul, Canadian Aaron Cockerill and Scotland’s Marc Warren also carded opening rounds of 66 to sit two adrift of Penge.
Hojgaard’s identical twin brother, Nicolai, holed out for two eagles in the space of three holes on the back nine during his 68 in Copenhagen.
Conor Purcell carded a one-under par 70 to sit tied-41st after the opening round. The Dubliner recorded birdies at the third, eighth and 14th, with dropped strokes on the second and sixth holes.
Ballymena's Dermot McElroy is three-over par after a round of 73, which contained five bogeys and just two birdies at the first and sixth.
"It's a really good test of golf, especially the back nine," Penge said. "You can't afford to hit it off line.
"Luckily I didn’t miss a shot for the whole round. There’s a score out there but you have to play really well. I think you’ll see that in the scoring, it’ll be quite separated.
"I enjoyed playing some good golf again and executing my shots how I saw it before I pulled the trigger.
"You don’t have many days like that. I’m going to end up in some trouble at some point this week, I’m glad I got through 18 holes without being in that trouble, so we’ll see how we go over the next three days."
