Dredge’s Lead Trimmed to 1 Shot at Made in Denmark

However, Dredge, a runner up in 2014 and sixth a year ago, carded six birdies with only one dropped shot to move from one behind overnight leaders Thomas Pieters, Joakim Lagergren and Tom Lewis to three in front.

Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke also failed to make the weekend, but the Himmerland crowd showed their support with a swathe of placards displaying a continental star.

For Dredge, it was a second runner-up finish at this event after he lost out in 2014 to Marc Warren, while Spaniard Adrian Otaegui and American David Lipsky both shot rounds of 67 to share third position on 15 under par.

Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren stayed on 10 under par with his 71 and sits just two shots off the pace, while another player hoping for a Ryder Cup wildcard next week, Germany’s Martin Kaymer, moved into contention with an impressive round of 66 to finish in joint sixth.

Birdies at the last three holes gave Thomas Pieters a third European Tour title to send a strong message to Darren Clarke. “You try not to think too much about the score but I thought under 70 was going to be a good score out there today”. It’s a tough one but everyone call tell it was on there and unfortunately I came up just short.

That score was matched by Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who had seven birdies as he leapt to two under after an opening 75.

A twice champion on the European Tour, Pieters placed fourth at the Rio Olympics earlier this month before finishing second at last week’s Czech Masters.

“He (Clarke) has got plenty of good players to pick from, so if he doesn’t pick me, then so be it and I’ll work my butt off to get there in the next one”.

After holding a three-stroke advantage overnight, Dredge, who finished second at Himmerland in 2014 and sixth in 2015, endured a hard Saturday.

“I’ve just had a message from Henrik and he said it was exclusively precautionary”, the Northern Irishman told Sky Sports television.