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Pieters shows fight to stay in Denmark hunt
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Pieters shows fight to stay in Denmark hunt

Thomas Pieters was proud of his mental resolve after he recovered from a nightmare double-bogey to post a third-round 69 and stay right in contention at the Made in Denmark.

Thomas Pieters

The big-hitting Belgian needed to show plenty of grit on Friday as he recorded a 71 and he showed that strength again 24 hours later after taking seven shots on the par five fourth.

Pieters used his distance to get on the putting surface in two but then putted back off the green in a birdie-bogey-birdie-double-bogey start.

He bounced back with birdies on the fifth and sixth and the 24 year old - who is looking to impress Darren Clarke ahead of the Northern Irishman making his Captain's picks for the Ryder Cup on Tuesday - believes he is becoming mentally stronger with experience.

"I played pretty nicely today but I had a shocker on the fourth. All of you saw it," he said. "I don't know what happened there. I was not focused or there was nothing going on in my head.

"I made a terrible seven there but I'm quite proud of the way I fought back after that. I needed to get the anger out so I threw the ball away. You just restart and try to get birdie on the next hole.

"I did a good job because I got two birdies in a row after that. I'm still learning mentally to handle stuff like that but I thought I did a good job.

"The putts weren't dropping in the last few holes but maybe tomorrow they will."

I'm still learning mentally to handle stuff like that but I thought I did a good job - Thomas Pieters

American David Lipsky sat alongside Pieters at 11 under after a 66 that contained just a single bogey as he goes in search of a second European Tour title.

"I'm pretty happy with where I'm at," he said. "My game is feeling really good, holing putts which is key to put yourself in contention and I'm pretty happy with the state of my game right now."

Spaniard Adrian Otaegui completed the group just one shot behind leader Bradley Dredge, and he is seeking his first European Tour win after finishing second at the Lyoness Open powered by Sporthilfe Cashback Card in June.

"I'm pretty happy with today's round," he said. "I played good from the beginning and just dropped one shot on number ten which I hit over the green and it was a tough up and down. So four birdies and one bogey - I'm pretty happy with that.

"I'm playing solid tee to green so let's keep it going tomorrow."

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