Lee Westwood will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Made in Denmark after a dramatic third day at Silkeborg Ry Golf Club.
The Englishman entered Saturday two shots off the lead but a sensational run of five birdies in a row after the turn handed him a three-shot lead as the Ryder Cup Vice Captain delighted the huge crowds at Thomas Bjørn’s home club.
“I played great all day,” said Westwood.
“I made one bad swing off the 18th tee but it’d be stupid to focus on that as well as I played, I had it under control all day. I’m not thinking any kind of score, I’m just going to try and go out and play like I’ve been playing. I’m hitting the ball solid and I’m rolling it well on the greens.”
A double-bogey at the last after finding water off the tee then dropped him back to 16 under with a 67 and opened the door to the rest of the field.
England’s Steven Brown fired a brilliant 63 to sit at 15 under alongside countryman Jonathan Thomson and Belgian Thomas Detry, with another Englishman in Matt Wallace a further shot back.
In the race to make the Ryder Cup Team, Thorbjørn Olesen came into the week knowing a two-way tie for seventh or better would guarantee his place at Le Golf National, with Matthew Fitzpatrick needing a victory and hoping that Olesen stumbles.
The Dane carded a 67 to surge up the leaderboard before Fitzpatrick went one better to sit three shots ahead of Olesen but six off the lead.
Eddie Pepperell could also qualify with a victory but he carded a 74 to sit at three under.
Westwood has held a 54-hole lead on 24 occasions on the European Tour, claiming 11 of his 23 wins from that position, including his last one at the 2014 Maybank Malaysian Open.
The 45 year old is making his Danish debut this week as he looks for victory in a 14th country on the European Tour but he is ruling out an 11th consecutive Ryder Cup appearance when Bjørn makes his Captain’s Picks on Wednesday.
