Copenhagen [Denmark], August 16 (ANI): Shubhankar Sharma opened his campaign at the Danish Golf Championship with an even-par 71 at the Par-71 Fures Golf Klub, leaving him tied for 70th and in need of a strong second round to make the cut.

The Indian golfer, who has not made a cut since the Indian Open in March, will be eager to turn his fortunes around and extend his week in Denmark. Veer Ahlawat carded a 2-over 73, placing him tied for 113th and facing an uphill task to progress, as per a press release from the Danish Golf Championship.

Sharma began well with a birdie on the sixth but faltered with three straight bogeys from the eighth to the tenth. He recovered with birdies on the 12th, 16th, and 18th, offsetting a bogey on the 14th to finish level par.

At the top of the leaderboard, England's Marco Penge produced a flawless bogey-free round of 7-under 64, setting a new course record and taking a two-shot lead. His round featured birdies on the third, sixth, 11th, 13th, and 14th holes, capped by an eagle on the 18th. Penge, who has recorded six top-30 finishes in seven starts this season, currently sits fifth in the Race to Dubai standings.

Five players share second place, two shots back, including 2018 Open Champion Francesco Molinari, former Danish Golf Championship winner Rasmus Hjgaard, Canadian Aaron Cockerill, Germany's Jeremy Paul, and Scotland's Marc Warren. Rasmus carded eight birdies in his 5-under 66.

Last year's runner-up, Lucas Bjerregaard, is tied for seventh with six others. Nicolai Hjgaard had a memorable day, holing out for eagle twice in the space of three holes. After being two over through 10 holes, he eagled the par-4 12th from 111 yards and repeated the feat at the 14th from 144 yards, later adding a birdie on the last for a 3-under 68 and a share of 14th place. (ANI)