England's David Horsey shot a course record 63 to claim the first-round lead at the Made in Denmark tournament in Farso.

Horsey carded seven birdies and an eagle in his eight-under-par round at the Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort to lead by one from Welshman Oliver Farr.

Scotland's former Open champion Paul Lawrie was a shot further back on six under.

Seven players were in a tie for fourth on five under, including Ireland's Peter Lawrie and leading Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

Horsey, playing the back nine first, started superbly with an eagle at the 11th. Five successive birdies from the 13th took him to the turn in 28, the lowest nine-hole total on the European Tour this year.

Another birdie at the second raised the prospect of a first 59 in the tour’s history but he bogeyed the fifth and then missed an eagle putt at the sixth.

“It’s always fabulous to get off to a start like that. It was a little disappointing not to make a few more (birdies) on the front nine – my back nine – but eight-under 63 is a great score,” said Horsey.

“The magic number (59) crept into my head going down the fourth. I wouldn’t say it affected me too much but I three-putted, then made a mess of the next hole.

“After that it was just about getting 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.”

Tour rookie Farr recovered to shoot 64 after bogeying the 10th, his first. He excelled on the front nine, picking up strokes on six successive holes from the third, including an eagle at the sixth. He looked set to take a share of the clubhouse lead until bogeying the last.

“It is a fantastic start to the tournament,” admitted Farr. “I had a little spell where it got hot. Luckily I got a good score but there are three more days to go.”

Paul Lawrie’s bogey-free 65 was his lowest round in more than two years, while Parry looked set to equal him but bogeyed the last.

“I’ve been getting better for a while,” he said. “I’ve been playing nicely recently and I’ve certainly been putting better for about a month now.”

His namesake Peter was one over for his first nine after starting on the 10th, after carding a birdie on the 13th and a double bogey on the 17th.

The Dubliner them stormed home in 30 shots, carding four birdies and an eagle three at the sixth hole.

Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke recovered for a horror start when he followed an opening double-bogey six with a bogey four to slip back to three over after two holes.

He was back under par by the sixth after reeling off four straight birdies and turned in one-under.

Back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and the 12th saw Clarke slip back over par for his round before he fired off three straight birdies from the 14th to end his day with a two-under 69.

Simon Thornton arrived on two under in a slightly different fashion, making bogey at three of his opening four holes on the back nine but more than making up for it with five birdies over the front nine.

Waterford's Kevin Phelan was another to recover from a poor start, his three bogeys on the back nine giving way to four birdies on the front, and a single bogey, as he signed for a level-par 71.

Michael Hoey saw his bright start slip away after making it to four under with an eagle at the seventh hole. Bogeys at the 13th and 15th and a double bogey on the 17th saw him also card a level-par 71. Damien McGrane was a shot further back.