Bradley Dredge claims three-shot lead at Made in Denmark

Bradley Dredge opened up a three-shot lead over the field at the halfway stage of the Made In Denmark as the three first-round pacesetters all stalled on day two.

Dredge, who has gone almost 10 years without a win, was just one off the lead overnight following his superb 63, and his love of the Himmerland Resort continued as he defied blustery conditions to fire a five-under 66 which lifted him to 13 under par.

The Welsh veteran, who was runner-up here in 2014 and sixth last season, rolled in an early birdie putt at the second and he then picked up four shots in five holes from the fifth to race to the turn in 31.

Dredge blotted his card at the 13th, but a sublime up and down at the driveable 14th got the shot back although he was unable to emulate his first-round streak of five consecutive birdies as he parred in.

Joakim Lagergren is Dredge's closest challenger after the Swede, one of three players to match the course-record of 62 on Thursday, battled hard to get round in 70.

Thomas Pieters, a contender for a Ryder Cup captain's pick when Darren Clarke finalises his European team on Tuesday, remained in the hunt on nine under despite an erratic 71.

The big-hitting Belgian, playing alongside Clarke, bogeyed two of the first three holes before getting back on track with three straight birdies from the sixth, although he gave one back at the ninth and parred every hole on the inward half.

Pieters shares third with Richard Sterne, whose 67 featured an eagle and four birdies, while Tom Lewis is a stroke further adrift after struggling to a 72 a day after he spurned a glorious chance to become the first player in European Tour history to break 60.

Oliver Wilson, currently languishing at 183rd in the Race to Dubai, lifted his spirits with a flawless six-birdie 65 - the joint low round of the day along with US Open runner-up Shane Lowry.

Wilson's superb effort propelled him to seven under alongside home favourite Soren Kjeldsen, who started at the 10th and parred his first 11 holes before the Dane got birdie putts to drop at the third and fifth and he added an eagle at the sixth.

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Martin Kaymer, widely considered to be one of the front runners for a Ryder Cup wildcard, looked in danger of missing the cut when he bogeyed the first and third, but the German battled back with four birdies in six holes around the turn as a 70 got him safely in for the weekend on three under.

But confirmed Ryder Cup debutants Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick both crashed out, with Sullivan paying the price for three card-wrecking holes.

Playing with Clarke and Pieters, Sullivan was five over after only three holes when he triple-bogeyed the second and doubled the third, although he repaired some of the damage with birdies at six and 10 and then made three in four holes from the 14th.

But all his good work was undone at the last as he ran up a horrific triple-bogey seven, carding a 74 which left him two shots outside the cut mark on three over par.