The leading female player on Thursday 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 DP World Tour and the Ladies European Tour features a field of 78 men and 78 women playing in the same groups.

Last year, Swedish player Linn Grant produced one of the big stories of 2022 by winning the tournament by nine strokes. She became the first female winner of a DP World Tour event.

Grant opened her title defence 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 13, after missing the green with his approach, slowed the momentum. His final birdie was at hole 15.

The highlight of Norgaard's round, which started at the 10th and featured six birdies, was an eagle at the par-5 3rd 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.

Australia's Jason Scrivener and Whitney Hillier were both two-under, on 70, while Kirsten Rudgeley carded a 75. New Zealand's Momoka Kobori had a round of 77.