Bjerregaard battles back to take Danish Golf Championship lead

Lucas Bjerregaard stormed to the top of the Danish Golf Championship leaderboard as the second round concluded on Saturday morning.

Play was suspended on Friday afternoon after gusts reached up to 46 miles per hour, and the Dane was three strokes off the lead on two under par when he returned to complete his final ten holes, having to putt out on the ninth when play resumed.

He played his back nine in five under, starting with three consecutive birdies from the tenth hole. The two-time DP World Tour winner took the outright lead after another birdie on the 15th and then increased his advantage with another gain on the following hole to sign for a six under par round and a seven under par total.

“I played well, I hit a few good shots early on my back nine. Made three birdies there to get me away from… not necessarily thinking about the cut line, but just giving me a nice little cushion from it,” he said. “Those last four holes coming in are brutal. So that was nice. I had good looks all the way in.”

“Hitting my second into 18 and getting applauded all the way in was awesome. It was such a cool feeling. It’s been a little while for me, so I’m trying to take it all in. That’s why it’s so special for us Danes to play here. There’s always been great support for this event. After the day yesterday that they had to walk around in, it’s great to see so many come out today in much better weather.”

Bjerregaard is two strokes clear of a clutch of seven players on five under par, including compatriots Rasmus Højgaard, this week’s defending champion, and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who currently leads the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca Rankings.

Højgaard started the second round with a two strokes lead and he moved to eight under par after two early birdies on the fourth and fifth holes. However, the 23-year-old dropped shots on the eighth, tenth and 11th holes and was left with a tricky bogey putt on the 12th as play was suspended in the afternoon.

He dropped another shot on the 15th but recovered with consecutive birdies on the 16th and 17th to move back to five under par.

“I think (the break came at the right time),” he said. “It could have gone very, very bad for me yesterday. I didn’t feel comfortable at all. I was happy and angry at the same time when the horn went, but it was nice to come out this morning in decent conditions.”

Also in a share of second are the French trio of Julian Guerrier, Romain Lagansque and Adrian Saddier and Englishman Eddie Pepperell.

Bjerregaard and Neergaard-Petersen will play together in the final group this afternoon, joined by Saddier.