Scots out in front on both DP World Tour and Hotel Planner Tour

A “cheeky birdie” helped Ewen Ferguson open up a three-shot lead in the DP World Tour’s Soudal Open as fellow Scot Calum Fyfe stayed out in front in the Hotel Planner Tour’s Danish Golf Challenge.

Ferguson, who landed his third main-tour title triumph in last year’s BMW International Open in Munich, is bogey-free for the opening two rounds at Rinkven International Golf Club in Antwerp.

Having followed an opening 67 with a course record-equalling 64 to sit on 11 under, the 28-year-old heads into the weekend with a cushion over in-form Englishman Marco Penge.

Ewen Ferguson reacts after chipping in for a birdie on the 17th hole on day two of the Soudal Open at Rinkven International GC in Antwerp | Luke Walker/Getty Images

“It definitely did,” said Ferguson in reply to being asked if his work so far in the $2.75 million event had felt effortless. “I felt like I was holding shots up into the left-to-right winds and also felt I was drawing shots into left pins like nine, where I made birdie.

“I feel like I always enjoy when a par is a good score. I think it is tough sometimes when you need to keep making birdies and there’s a lot of pressure on making birdies.

“So, when it is quite tough like that and you need to keep grinding out pars, I feel quite comfortable doing that because that’s how I was brought up playing the game in Scotland, where par is sometimes a brilliant score.

The last of seven birdies on his card was a chip in at the par-5 17th and he admitted with a smile: “A cheeky birdie there was a bit of a steal!”

Penge, a former Scottish Men’s Open winner, landed his breakthrough win on the top circuit by winning the Hainan Classic last month before finishing in the top 30 in last week’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

Calum Fyfe leads at the halfway stage in the Hotel Planner Tour’s Danish Golf Challenge | Getty Images

“Obviously Marco is full of confidence and I’m good friends with him as we well, so it will be a good duel tomorrow and I’m looking forward to watching him hit a few bombs off the tee.

“There’s so many good players out here that you’re really just kind of jockeying for position at this stage and hopefully on Sunday I’m still in with a chance on the back nine and can get it done.”

Meanwhile, Fyfe backed up his opening 64 with a 67 to sit two shots clear of the field on 11 under in the Danish Golf Challenge at Bogense Golf Club.