Ormsby shares Himmerland lead, Lombard and Molinari ace 16th
Australian Wade Ormsby is one of three players tied for the Made in Denmark lead at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, where plenty of locals are in contention and two aces lit up the opening round.
Ormsby, together with English duo Steve Webster and Matt Wallace, carded a 64 to sit one clear atop the leaderboard at seven under.
Benjamin Hebert of France and Swedish pair Oscar Lengden and Robert Karlsson are a stroke back in a share of fourth at six under.
Joachim B Hansen and Lucas Bjerregaard are the Danes best placed to challenge on home soil at five-under, with Lasse Jensen, Mads Sogaard and Thorbjorn Olesen a further shot adrift.
South African Zander Lombard could only manage an even-par 71, but will take home a gleaming new golf cart courtesy of his hole-in-one at the short par-three 16th.
Hole-in-One at #HimmerlandHill!
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 24, 2017
Well that didn't take long pic.twitter.com/MdiTTC7aPs
.@ZanderLombard gets the key to his @gariagolfcar after his Hole in One on 16th. #MiDGolf pic.twitter.com/RFrPDzMRle
— Made in Denmark Golf (@MiDGolf) August 24, 2017
And Edoardo Molinari matched that feat early in his round - that started on the back nine - but a triple bogey at his final hole saw him finish one-over.
Another ace at 16!
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 24, 2017
Courtesy of @DodoMolinari this time. pic.twitter.com/sbFGruuDcz
It was also a special occasion for European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn, whose 500th European Tour appearance arrived in his native Denmark.
The avid Liverpool fan battled to a two-over 73, but had the unusual honour of being serenaded with a rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' by the gallery and Martin Kaymer's caddie, Craig Connelly, a day after his team qualified for the Champions League group stage.
"It's a very special day for me and I'm just really happy I got to live this moment on Tour," said Bjorn. "A lot of good things have happened to me in golf but this is probably one of the better moments I've ever had.
"It was just a day I'll remember for the rest of my life. What a day."
Bjørn is big @LFC fan, so the crowd, led by Kaymer's caddie, sing You'll Never Walk Alone to him on 16...#MiDGolf pic.twitter.com/n3WJoTkbV3
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 24, 2017
The voice of an angel ... pic.twitter.com/Ukq5w9BV8a
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 24, 2017