Christiaan Bezuidenhout carded a second-round 65 to surge into a two-shot lead over Lee Westwood and Jonathan Thomson on day two of the Made in Denmark.
The South African followed up his opening 66 at Silkeborg Ry Golf Club with a seven under par effort to equal Bradley Dredge’s tournament record of 13 under after 36 holes.
“It’s been great to feel some confidence coming back into my game and hopefully I can keep going from here because I have some work to do to keep my European Tour card,” said Bezuidenhout. “If I keep playing the way I have been for the last few days then I am hopeful that I can get the results.”
Ryder Cup Vice-Captain Westwood matched Bezuidenhout’s 65 to march ominously into contention, with Thomson adding a 68 to his opening 64 to join Westwood in a tie for second – one clear of Sam Horsfield and two ahead of Thomas Detry and Matt Baldwin.
In the race to take the final automatic spot in the Ryder Cup Team, Eddie Pepperell and Matthew Fitzpatrick were facing an uphill battle to claim the victory they needed to potentially overhaul local hero Thorbjørn Olesen.
The biggest 36-hole deficit made up by a winner this season is nine shots by Alex Noren at the HNA Open de France, and Fitzpatrick will at least have to match that after a second-round 68 moved him to four under.
Pepperell was one shot better off after a 69, with Olesen recovering from his disappointing opening day 73 with a second round 68 to make the cut.
If Fitzpatrick were to win, a tie for seventh with one other or better would see Olesen keep the final place, while a top 12 from the Dane would keep a victorious Pepperell at bay.
