STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — Yannik Paul of Germany and Niklas Norgaard of Denmark set the pace with 7-under 65s in the first round of the Scandinavian Mixed event on Thursday as women and men played on the same course for one prize fund and trophy.
The leading female player was Trichat Cheenglab of Thailand, who was in a four-person group a stroke off the lead after a round of 66.
The co-sanctioned event on the men’s European tour and the Ladies European Tour features a field of 78 men and 78 women playing in the same groups, with Swedish player Linn Grant producing one of the big stories of 2022 by winning the tournament by nine strokes. She become the first female winner of a European tour event.
Grant opened her title defense with an even-par 72 and was tied for 67th.
Paul birdied seven of his first 12 holes at Ullna Golf and Country Club before a bogey at No. 13, after missing the green with his approach, slowed the momentum. His final birdie was at No. 15.
The highlight of Norgaard’s round, which started at No. 10 and featured six birdies, was an eagle at the par-5 third hole after he hit his second shot 208 yards to around 16 feet and holed the putt.
Cheenglab was in a tie for third place with Frederic Lacroix of France, Dale Whitnell of England and Louis De Jager of South Africa.
Three women — Nuria Iturrioz of Spain, Elin Arvidsson of Sweden and Olivia Cowan of Germany — shot 68s and were tied for 11th place, three off the lead.
