Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen was making the most of his invite to the BMW International Open as he carded a 67 to get right in the mix heading into the weekend at Golfclub München Eichenried.
The Dane only finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma State last month but looked assured in the paid ranks on day two of his DP World Tour debut, carding seven birdies and two bogeys to get to eight under.
After representing his country in the amateur game, he helped the International team win the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup while studying in the United States and joins a long line of 'Pokes' to make their way in the professional game.
Winner of last week's U.S. Open Wyndham Clark went to the university, as did Viktor Hovland and Rickie Fowler, and Neergaard-Petersen believes the experience gives him a solid grounding.
“This is my first DP World Tour event, so yesterday when I was starting I was quite nervous," he said.
Good luck to these two at this week’s @DPWorldTour stop in Germany! 👀 that fresh staff bag for Rasmus too!#GoPokes | #golfschool pic.twitter.com/iFh7dwR8sE
— OSU Cowboy Golf (@OSUCowboyGolf) June 20, 2023
"But I know I have my game and I've just kind of taken it one shot at a time, done a really good job of staying right in the present, even though I've hit a couple of loose shots here and there, but I've been able to recover and just kind of move on.
“I grew up in Denmark, like 15 minutes north of Copenhagen, played there and played on the national team for many years. And then after I finished high school, I decided to go to college in the States, went to Oklahoma State, and I was there for five years and just got done.
"A lot of the guys already out here I know from my junior days on the national team, and I've obviously waited a lot longer before turning pro, but I'd say it's probably been it's been the best decision to go to Oklahoma State.
"The level of play on college events right now is tremendous. Korn Ferry the last two weeks has been the recent graduates from college winning there. So I think it's just helped me to get ready for this moment and then we'll see where it takes me."
After an opening 69, Neergaard-Petersen birdied the fourth and while he gave the shot back on the sixth, a hat-trick of gains saw him turn in 33 and share the lead.
Further birdies at the 11th and 15th saw him move ahead and he kept the lead as he bounced back from a bogey on the 16th with a gain on the last, before later being overtaken.
“I'm generally a really, really good iron player," he said. "I'm a little streaky putter. I think my bad days with the putter needs to get better. But overall, just a solid ball striker and a really good long iron player.
“My putter really started to heat up today. I made some nice putts and I'm just happy to be where I'm at right now."
