Portrush, July 18 -- You just can't fight destiny. If something is meant to happen, it will. like Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen and Major championships. The 26-year-old is surprisingly on top of the leaderboard in Royal Portrush after the morning wave of players in the opening round Thursday, shooting a four-under 67 despite a bogey on his 18th hole. The left-hander played like he belonged at this big stage, having only turned professional last year after securing one of the last cards from the DP World Tour's Qualifying School. The decision to turn pro was a difficult one, particularly after winning the 2024 Amateur Championship, which was held down the road in Ireland at the Ballyliffin Golf Club. That win - the first by a Danish amateur - secured him invitations to this year's Masters and the 152nd Open at Royal Troon (he finished tied 60th last year), the only caveat being that he remains an amateur. Once he turned professional, the dream chance of playing at Augusta National was gone. Olesen missed out on the Masters this year but played remarkably well in the Final Qualifying at Burnham and Barrow on July 1 to finish second. And even he was surprised how well he played on Thursday, when he made an eagle and four birdies. "The way I was playing, I wouldn't say leading was in the cards. I would say I always feel like if I play my game, I can do well, especially around here on links courses," said the world No354, who finished inside the top 10 early in the season in China and South Africa. "I shape it around with some good short game as well, but it hasn't been very good golf the last couple of months. I've been driving it well, but my approach game has been quite awful to say the least." Olesen said the decision to forego a chance to tee up at his first Masters was mainly because of his age. Twenty-five back then, he was happy to kickstart his professional career. "I'd say my age," said Olesen when asked what prompted his choice. "I think it would have been a different decision if I was 19 at the time. But also getting out on the DP World Tour has always been a dream of mine. It's what I watched all the time growing up, Danish guys like Thomas Bjorn and Anders Hansen. It's always been a dream and I had already made the decision before even going to the second stage of Q-school that if I got through, it would be a no-brainer to turn pro." The 153rd Open teed off on Thursday with local hero Padraig Harrington hitting the opening tee shot. The Irish legend, a two-time Open champion, finished on four-over 75, while China's Li Haotong and England's Matt Fitzpatrick shot 67 each to join Olesen at the top. World No1 Scottie Scheffler birdied 16 and 17th holes to move to three-under, while Rory McIlroy was out on the golf course and 1-under through six holes at the time of filing....