Belgium’s Thomas Pieters feels he has given Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke a major selection headache after producing a brilliant finish to claim his third European Tour title in the Made in Denmark event.
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Welshman Bradley Dredge will take a slender one-shot lead into the final day of the Made in Denmark event in Farso, after settling for a one-over-par third round of 72 on Saturday.
The Welshman remains on course to claim a first victory in almost a decade but his lead has been cut to just one shot, with American David Lipsky, Adrian Otaegui of Spain and Belgian Thomas Pieters in a tie for second on -11.
The Abingdon golfer followed his four over-par first round of 75 – which included a nine at one hole – by faring even worse in his second.
Dredge, a two-time victor on the European Tour, ended day one with six birdies from the final seven holes, and he carried that form into Thursday by picking up five shots on the front nine.
Joakim Lagergren eventually made a triple bogey on the last hole to drop back to 13 under par, finishing in fifth position, while another player hoping to make the Ryder Cup team, Martin Kaymer, closed with a round of 68 to share sixth place on 11 under par with South African Jaco Van Zyl.
“It really was blowing, approach shots were tough, putting was very hard to start with. obviously I’m delighted with my score”. “To finish with two more is pretty cool”.
“It was not my best day today”, he said afterwards. “That’s very important. I’m very, very happy”. That was one of my goals, to just have one every year, just so you know you’re improving and you can win.
Pieters had to successfully defend his Czech Masters title last week and win in Denmark to take the last automatic European qualification spot for the Ryder Cup matches that start next month in Hazeltine.
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Instead there will be plenty of calls for the 24-year-old to be given a captain’s pick by Northern Irishman Clarke, after another impressive display so far in Scandinavia. “But I’ve done all I can now and I’m just really pleased with this win to be honest”.
