David Horsey flirted with history before taking a one shot lead as the Made in Denmark lived up to its reputation on day one at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort.
More than 80,000 fans attended the inaugural event last year, creating a unique atmosphere as the locals enthusiastically showed their support to the large Danish contingent on show.
And while home favourites Søren Kjeldsen and Thomas Bjørn may have earned the biggest cheers at the top of the hill at the 16th on Thursday, it was Horsey who made it to the top of the leaderboard with a sparkling 63.
The Englishman equalled the lowest nine holes on The European Tour this year by playing the back nine in 28 after starting on the tenth, and was threatening the first 59 in Tour history when he birdied the second to sit eight under with seven to play.
But the three-time European Tour winner's hopes took a major dent with a bogey on the fifth and when an eagle putt on the sixth failed to break, the chance was gone.
The M2M Russian Open champion refused to be downhearted after recording the lowest round in tournament history, though, and admitted that the prospect of going sub-60 had entered his mind after the turn.
"The magic number crept into my head going down the fourth – my 13th – and I wouldn't say it affected me too much but I three-putted, then made a mess of the next hole."
David Horsey
"After that it was just about getting back to my strategy and finishing strongly, and I managed to do that. I'm pleased with how I handled myself in that situation, and you don't get many opportunities to shoot 59, so I can probably be excused for letting it creep in."
He added: "I've been playing better than I've been scoring. I've not been holing putts. I'm probably playing the best I ever have tee to green, but it's not showing in the scores which is disappointing.
"I'm playing great, so it's just about putting it all together and being mentally stronger. I need to put that frustration aside and focus on what I can do."
European Tour rookie Oliver Farr was a shot back from Horsey after a stunning late run of scoring catapulted him up the leaderboard.
The Welshman book-ended three birdies with bogeys on the tenth and second to sit just one under after 11 holes but he then went birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie to take a share of the lead.
A three putt bogey on the ninth took some of the shine off his round but the 27 year old was delighted to be in contention on his return from a short break.
"It was fantastic," he said. "The course wasn't for the taking – you had to hit a lot of good shots and good putts, and I did that. I had that spell where I hit it close a couple of times and I holed a couple of nice putts. It's nice when you get on a run like that.
"It's what we practise for – to hit good shots in close – and I did that today. I rode the wave. It was one of those days where everything seemed to click.
"It's my lowest round on the European Tour, which is nice to say. I've put myself in a great position for this tournament now. I've been playing nicely. I've had three weeks off so I've been ready to get back out here and play."
Scot Paul Lawrie fired a bogey-free 65 for his lowest round in more than two years and cited his improved putting after birdies on the 15th, 18th, third, fourth, sixth and eighth.
"I have been known to have a wee moan about my putting, but recently it's been great," he said. "I've got a new putter from Caledonia Putters which has a little bit firmer grooves, and I'm rolling the ball as well as I've ever rolled it.
"I've been getting better for a while. I've been playing nicely recently and I've certainly been putting better for about a month now."
That 65 was enough to put him a shot clear of Kjeldsen, Graeme Storm, Carlos Del Moral, Terry Pilkadaris, Peter Lawrie, John Parry and last year's runner-up, Bradley Dredge.
Banners had been handed out at the par three 16th to celebrate Kjeldsen reaching 500 European Tour appearances last week and he did not disappoint, putting his tee shot to within a foot before rolling in a birdie.
Bjørn also received an electric reception as he made his way up towards the 16th green with playing partner Darren Clarke.
Both Bjørn and Clarke managed to roll in birdies en route to two under par 69s while the third member of their group, Thorbjørn Olesen, made par on his way to a 73.
Defending champion Marc Warren had been three under coming up the ninth but a triple bogey on his final hole dropped him back to level par.
A minute's silence was held on course at 1200 to honour caddie Brian McFeat who sadly passed away recently.
