Former World Cup winner Bradley Dredge produced a brilliant finish to take command of the inaugural Made in Denmark event at the halfway stage yesterday.
Dredge has won twice on the European Tour – he shot a round of 60 on his way to victory in Madeira in 2003 – and partnered Stephen Dodd to victory for Wales in 2005, but has been hampered by illness and injury.
The 41-year-old is playing on a medical exemption this season, but added a 68 to his opening 66 at Himmerland Resort & Spa thanks to four birdies in his last six holes.
Led by four
At eight under par, Dredge led by four from England’s
Simon Wakefield
, with Danish pair
Thomas Bjorn
and
Thorbjorn Olesen
another shot back alongside Scotland’s
David Drysdale
and
Garrick Porteous
.
It wasn’t a great day for the Irish competitors, with Gareth Maybin the best of them on level par overnight, after a second round 67, one stroke better than Damien McGrane (73).
Peter Lawrie is on three over, after shooting 75, one shot ahead of Michael Hoey (73).
The hard luck story of the day, as far as the Irish were concerned, however, belonged to Kevin Phelan, who scorched around in a bogey-free 65, but could not undo the damage of his opening day 82 and is likely to miss the projected cut of five over par.
Bjorn was frustrated at following his opening 66 with a 73, the 43-year-old feeling players did not have enough notice of play resuming after a one-hour delay caused by the threat of lightning.
“It was down to fatigue a little bit, playing seven out of eight weeks,” said Bjorn, who is looking to make certain of his Ryder Cup place on home soil.
