Day one digest: 2020 English Championship

Cormac Sharvin carded an eight under par 63 to earn a one shot lead after the first round of the 2020 English Championship.

The Northern Irishman teed off in the final group on the opening day but it was worth the wait as the 27-year-old set a new course record at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club.

Here is everything you need to know from Thursday's first round in Hertfordshire.

Senior starts off with stunning 29

Jack Senior made a superb start in Ware as he harboured thoughts of the second 59 in European Tour history in Hertfordshire. The 32-year-old, who made the first ace since golf returned after a four month hiatus due to the coronavirus crisis at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood, was in the first group of the opening day at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club and mounted his challenge from the off. Birdies at the first, second and fourth took him to the top of the leaderboard before an eagle two on the par four seventh saw Senior jump to five under before successive birdies elevated him to seven under as he turned in 29. A five under back nine would have seen him join Oliver Fisher in the 59 club but three bogeys and two gains saw him finish his opening round two shots off the lead at six under.

Lee's birdie blitz

Australian Min Woo Lee missed the cut during the first two legs of the UK Swing but made a superb run of birdies around the turn to move into contention in Ware. Lee, who won the ISPS Handa Vic Open on home soil in February, picked up two shots and carded a bogey in his first four holes before his birdie trail began at the eighth and finished at the 12th to surge up to six under. The 22-year-old birdied the last to get to seven under, one shot off Sharvin. "I just striped it awesome today," Lee said. "I hit it really good with my irons and my driver and rolled a few in. I think my longest putt was 25 feet, so I was pretty happy with that."

Lemke and Langasque also on gain train

If you thought Lee's run of five straight birdies was impressive then you will be stunned by the efforts of Sweden's Niklas Lemke and Frenchman Romain Langasque. The latter was one under through ten but found himself one off the lead by the 16th courtesy of the five gains in a row - matching Lee's tally. However, Lemke, who was one over par when he teed off at the ninth, rolled in an amazing seven consecutive birdies to get to six under, only to halt the run with a bogey at the difficult par three 16th.

Rapid Renato cooled down by sprinkler

Renato Paratore, winner of the first leg of the UK Swing at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood, is known for his fast pace on the course, and the ground staff at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club must have thought he needed to cool down during an on-course interview.

Steven Brown: Pin seeker

Steven Brown will be ruing his luck after this superb approach, which no doubt would have been a close range birdie putt, hit the pin and spun away to 15 feet. He could not hole out for a gain but the Englishman did manage to post a five under par 65. But if only...

Max Schmitt feeling chippy

As Max Schmitt stepped up to the difficult par three 16th, only Scott Hend had managed to birdie the hole all morning. The German's task to match Hend's two was made all the harder when he landed in the rough over the back of the green, however...

Pigem practice makes perfect

Not many words needed here. If it works for Carlos Pigem, it works.