Sebastian Söderberg fired a round of 63 (-9) to hold a two-shot lead at the end of the first day of the 2024 Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed.
The 33-year-old, who has one DP World Tour title, went bogey-free on his opening day at Vasatorps Golfklubb.
Söderberg started well rolling in birdies on the first and second holes before adding further birdies on six and eight to make the turn in four-under.
The Swedish star then made another birdie on 10 before a fantastic eagle on 12 which was followed by birdies on 15 and 16 to seal a round of nine-under-par.
“I just saw the lines good and rolled them in, it was a pretty solid day so far,” said Söderberg. “I felt I could hit my driver a little longer than I usually do which gave me a few shorter clubs in.
“Every miss was in the right spot, and I gave myself a lot of good chances. The putter was quite hot. I felt like I struggled a little bit earlier in the week just seeing the lines with the colour of the grass, but today it was a little easier. I just hit good putts on the lines I chose.
“I thought we got away with the weather today because I was expecting rain for a few hours. Every minute we got to play without it felt like a blessing. I’m quite happy with how that turned out.
“There’s a lot of family and friends here and it’s easy to put extra pressure on yourself wanting to play good in front of them. I did feel a little extra adrenaline on the first tee which doesn’t happen that often on a Thursday, but I got off to a good start and it was nice to have everyone out there the whole day.”
The tournament is a co-sanctioned event between the LET and DP World Tour and it sees 78 men and 78 women playing for the same prize fund of US $2 million and one trophy.
South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick both sit in a share of second place after shooting a bogey-free rounds of 65 (-7) on the first day in Sweden.
Frittelli made birdies on the first, sixth, eighth, 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th holes to sit two shots behind Söderberg on the leaderboard.
“I turned 34 yesterday and just kept it simple on Wednesday of a golf tournament,” said the South African.
“I practiced, played nine holes, had a dinner with my girlfriend and then had a nice dessert. I did have a cookie with some ice cream for dessert so maybe that was the celebration.
“It was awesome, it was a bit chilly this morning and I wasn’t sure what the target should be. There was weather coming in as well, so I made a few birdies and after that I was like if I’m making some then I can keep making them.
“My birdie on 17 was a long one up the hill, I was just trying to two-putt it to be honest and when I made it the DJ booth ended up spraying some white foam. I got such a fright, I didn’t know what was happening! Birdie on 18 was a good one too, I hit under the hole there and made a nice long putt.”
While Fitzpatrick, who began his round on the 10th, rolled in three birdies on the trot on holes 17, 18 and one.
The Englishman then made an eagle on the third before rolling in back-to-back birdies on six and seven for a round of seven-under.
Malaysia’s Gavin Green produced a round of 66 (-6) which included eight birdies and two bogeys to be in outright fourth place.
Five players sit in a tie for fifth place with Sweden’s Linn Grant, Ireland’s Lauren Walsh, Scottish duo Scott Jamieson and David Law, and South Africa’s Louis De Jager all on five-under-par.
2022 champion Grant began with a birdie on the tenth and made another on the 13th before making a double bogey on 16.
However, the five-time LET winner bounced back with back-to-back birdies on 18 and one before making an eagle on the third hole and another birdie on the sixth for her 67.
“It was a bit up and down really, but I had a really good back nine,” said the Solheim Cup winner, who hails from the Helsingborg area.
“I had a double bogey there in the beginning which set me back a little bit, but I tried to think that every hole out here feels like a birdie opportunity which really helped. I’m going to stick to that tomorrow as well.
“It’s amazing. I love crowds, it’s always so nice to have a group that follows you, that really cheers for you. I think they were cheering for all of us! But it’s that extra support.
“I’m going to work out at my own gym, which is so nice, and then hang out with some friends, have a nice evening and enjoy some time off before tomorrow.
“It was really nice trying to hang on to Jesper [Svensson] today, he played really good. It’s always nice to watch the guys play and it’s crazy how far they hit the ball. I was standing there with my brother just amazed. It’s a really nice way of staying in the present, it helps me a lot.”
It was a bogey-free day for LET rookie Walsh, who only found out she was in the tournament on Monday morning, as she rolled in five birdies to also be in T4.
“I checked the reserve list last week and I was way down, so I didn’t think there was a chance I was playing,” said Walsh.
“I went back to Copenhagen on Sunday to fly home on Monday morning, but then I was first reserve so I knew I was coming back and seeing if I can get a chance to get in. I woke up Monday morning and I was in!
“It’s been great. Watching the guys rip it up on the range is pretty cool and it’s such a cool atmosphere around. It feels like a bigger stage. I have loved it.
“I got off to a good start being three-under through six and then the wind really picked up, so I was just hanging on for a while. I hit it pretty nicely, so it was pretty stress-free.
“If I did miss a green, I was on the fringe putting and the one green I did miss long in the rough I chipped it to a foot which was very stress-free and that’s nice in golf, they don’t come around too often.”
Seven players sit one shot further back in a share of tenth place including Finland’s Noora Komulainen. The second round begins at 7.30 am (local time) on Friday.
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