A close-call with the history books, a potential rookie keen to impress, a hole-in-one, albatrosses, birdie/bogey-free rounds – the first round of the 2016 Made in Denmark had it all...
10 –Birdies, one eagle and three bogeys for Tom Lewis, who was on target to become the first player to shoot 59 on the European Tour at 12 under through 13 holes on Thursday before dropping three shots over the closing five holes.
62 –Still the lowest round in the career of the Englishman, who shares the lead on nine under par through one round at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort after he, Thomas Pieters and Joakim Lagergren all equalled the Backtee course record set by Kristoffer Broberg during the final round in 2015.
22 –Putts for Belgian Pieters on day one, two less than any other player. The Belgian, who finished fourth at the Olympics and runner-up last week in Prague, was playing alongside European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke – the very man he is looking to impress ahead of the Northern Irishman’s wildcard picks for Hazeltine next week.
25 –Shots under par Bradley Dredge is for nine career rounds at Made in Denmark – lower than any other player – after starting with a sweet 63 in the first round this year. The Welshman finished runner-up to Marc Warren in 2014 and sixth last year.
18 –Consecutive pars on Thursday for Andy Sullivan – the fourth player this year to card a birdieless, bogey-less level par round after Niclas Fasth, Hennie Otto and Sam Walker.
1 –Robert Karlsson became the first player to make a hole-in-one at the iconic short 16th at Himmerland as the Swede holed his pitching wedge from 124 yards to make the 33rd ace of the season in front of the masses at Himmerland Hill.
233 – Karlsson didn’t provide the only high-tariff hole-out of the day, as Scott Jamieson drained his three iron from 233 yards at the fourth for the first albatross in the tournament’s history. That special ‘two’ was the third albatross of the season after Lee Slattery (Hero India Open) and Scott Hend (Shenzhen International).
4.40 –The average score on the 473-yard par five sixth on Thursday, making it the easiest hole on the golf course. The most difficult hole on the Backtee Course in the first round was the 462-yard par four 18th, which played 0.17 of a shot harder than the aforementioned sixth despite their respective pars.
4 –Combined score over par on Thursday for the all-Hansen threeball. Søren (75), JB (71) and Anders (71) must have been confusing their walking scorers all day long.
16 – Date in July that Andreas Hartø got married after proposing to his then-girlfriend Louise on the 16th during tournament play here last year. Incidentally, the Dane’s wedding fell on the Saturday of Open Championship week meaning two guests – namely Søren Kjeldsen and Thomas Pieters – couldn’t make it due to playing at Royal Troon.
