AALBORG, Denmark  – Wales’ Bradley Dredge topped the Made in Denmark leaderboard on Friday, with England’s Simon Wakefield in second and Dane Thomas Bjorn, who aims to secure a spot in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, tied in third.

Dredge holds a four-shot lead over Wakefield after a three-under-par 68 second round that saw him birdie four of his last six holes.

“I’m delighted with the way I played,” Dredge said. “I am looking forward to the weekend.”

Wakefield produced a fine round of 67, parring the opening five holes before catching fire to birdie the 15th, 16th and 17th. A dropped stroke on 18 ruined that run at the end of the day’s play.

Bjorn and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar both struggled for form, hitting 73 and 74, respectively.

Bjorn, who has 15 European Tour victories, began being atop of Friday’s event with Dredge before a lightning threat halted proceedings for an hour. He had started the second day with three bogeys, to finish five shots behind the leader.

Level with Bjorn is fellow Norwegian Thorbjorn Olesen, England’s Garrick Porteous and Scotland’s David Drysdale, with the latter two also shooting three-under-par.

“It was just not quite there. My wedges were poor, which is unlike me, and I didn’t really take advantage of those short holes,” he said. “One birdie all day isn’t really going to do it as you are going to make some birdies in these conditions.”

Bjorn hasn’t played in the Ryder Cup since 2002 but a victory in Aalborg will guarantee him a spot in the European team for the match against United States at Gleneagles next month.

This is the inaugural tournament, and the first time since 2003 that a European Tour event is being held in Denmark.

AALBORG, Denmark – Thomas Bjorn shot a 5-under 66 for a three-way share of the lead after the first round of the Made in Denmark on Thursday, boosting his chances of securing a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Playing in his home tournament, Bjorn made five birdies and did not drop a shot in gusty conditions. He was tied for first with Felipe Aguilar of Chile and Bradley Dredge of Wales.

They led by three shots from Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, who hit a bogey-free 69. Nine players carded 70.

Bjorn hasn’t played in the Ryder Cup since 2002, but a victory on the Himmerland Resort course will guarantee him a spot in the European team for the match against United States at Gleneagles next month.

Bjorn has occupied a position in the automatic qualifying places since December.

“I am happy with the day and happy with the start. It was pretty solid all way round,” said Bjorn, who earned his first professional victory at Himmerland in 1995.

Aguilar, a two-time European Tour winner, briefly led with a birdie on the par-four 8th hole, his 17th, but Bjorn, playing a hole behind, immediately responded in kind. They both parred the last. Dredge, who also has won two European Tour events, recovered from bogeying the second, his 11th hole, to birdie five of his last seven holes.

Paul Lawrie of Scotland and Soren Larsen of Denmark pulled out of the tournament because of injuries.

This is the inaugural tournament, and the first time since 2003 that a European Tour event is held in Denmark.

MOSCOW – David Horsey of England defeated Ireland’s Damien McGrane in a playoff on Sunday to win the Russian Open, his first European Tour title in three years.

Horsey rallied after making double-bogey on the 12th hole with an eagle on the 17th and then par on the final hole to finish level with McGrane at 13-under 275 at the end of regulation.

The Englishman then two-putted for par on the 18th hole in the playoff, while McGrane found a greenside bunker and took a bogey.

McGrane made seven birdies in the final round, but failed to close out his first victory in six years in his round of 66.

It was the second time in Horsey’s career that he has been in a playoff and the second time he’s come out in front after winning the 2011 Hassan 11 Trophy at Agadir, Morocco, in similar fashion.

“It’s a big relief to win and very much like my last win in Morocco when I also made a mess of a couple of holes on the back nine,” said Horsey. “But standing on 17 I really didn’t know where I was in the tournament so after hitting my ball through to the back of the green I realised I was three behind and needed to do something drastic and quite quickly.

“So chipping-in for eagle was a great help and then thought I needed to make birdie at the last but not realising Damien (McGrane) had dropped one there at the last.”

Horsey led after the opening two rounds and went into the final round tied for the lead.

“To win is very special as it’s been a while since I won in Morocco, and also it’s been bumpy road along the way since then,” he said.

Scotland’s Scott Jamieson shot a 69 to finish third at 12-under 276 with Sam Hutsby (68) of England another shot back in fourth. Peter Whiteford (75) of Scotland rounded out the top five with a 278.

MOSCOW — David Horsey shot a 4-under 68 Friday for a two-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the Russian Open.

The 29-year-old Englishman dropped two shots in his first four holes of the second round but then birdied four of the last six for an overall 11-under 133.

Double European Tour winner Horsey is just one of three players in the world’s top 200 competing at the Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club course near Moscow.

Belgium rookie Thomas Pieters is second on 9 under after also shooting 68.

Scotland’s Peter Whiteford, looking for his first Tour success in his 181st tournament, shot a 1-under 71 and is third at 7 under.

Horsey last won in 2011 at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco but made major changes to his swing at the start of the year.

“Dropping a couple of shots early on as I did is always disappointing … I just needed to stay patient and keep giving myself birdie putts,” Horsey said.

The 22-year-old Pieters turned professional 13 months ago but has only managed to make the halfway cut in five events this year with his best finish being second in May’s Spanish Open.

Whiteford went close to a maiden Tour win last year, losing a playoff for the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea.

Now the 33-year old Scot has put himself into contention again for a breakthrough success on the European Tour.

“My start today was shocking as my first tee shot went straight into the rubbish, and I was four over par after five holes,” he said. “But it was a good fightback.”

MOSCOW  — David Horsey birdied four of his final six holes Thursday for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead in the first round of the Russian Open.

Former French Open tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, one of 10 Russians in the field, shot an 11-over 83 with one birdie, six bogeys and three double-bogeys.

Horsey has four top-10 finishes this season, including a share of ninth in last month’s Lyoness Open in Austria.

“I have been working hard on my game the last 9-to-10 months and while it’s been a bit inconsistent, the good stuff has been really good and it’s just that inconsistency and a lack of confidence with it that’s hurt a bit,” the 29-year-old Englishman said. “However, that comes with the territory when you bring in changes, but they’re starting to bed in and I’m starting to get more comfortable.”

Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford (both 66) were tied for second at the Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club. A further eight players shared fourth place at 5 under.

Jamieson capped his round with an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole and a birdie at the last. Whiteford birdied four of his last seven holes.

Defending champion Michael Hoey withdrew from the event with a left foot injury.

HOYLAKE, England -Rory McIlroy had to work a little harder and sweat a little more. No matter. Just like his other two majors, this British Open was never really in doubt.

With two key birdies around the turn, and a powerful tee shot at just the right moment, McIlroy completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday at Royal Liverpool and captured the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland joined some elite company beyond the names on the silver claret jug.

Jack Nicklaus (23) and Tiger Woods (24) are the only other players to capture three different majors by the time they were 25. McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional and the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, both by eight shots.

“It feels incredible,” McIlroy said before heading out to collect the oldest trophy in golf. “Today wasn’t easy. A few guys were making runs at me. I just needed to stay focused and stay in the present and really concentrate on what I was doing out there.”

This could have been another romp except for a shaky stretch early for McIlroy, and solid efforts from Garcia and Fowler.

Garcia pulled within two shots with four holes to play until he put his tee shot in a pot bunker just right of the 15th green. His first shot failed to get over the 4-foot sodden wall and rolled back into the sand. He made bogey, and two birdies over the final three holes were not enough. Garcia shot 66 and was runner-up in a major for the fourth time.

Fowler, playing in the final group for the second straight major, never got closer than three shots. He played bogey-free for a 273.

It was the first time ever that two straight majors were won wire to wire. Martin Kaymer did it last month at Pinehurst No. 2, winning the U.S. Open by eight shots.

McIlroy, who finished at 17-under 271, wasn’t the only big winner Sunday.

Ten years ago, his father three friends each put up 100 pounds ($170) at 500-1 odds that McIlroy would win the British Open before he turned 26.

Boy Wonder made good on the bet with a brand of golf that had him marked early on as golf’s next great player. The victory moves him to No. 2 in the world, perhaps on his way to regaining the No. 1 ranking that two years ago looked as if would be his for years to come.

Ontario-born David Hearn shot 71 in the final round to finish at 3-under and tie for 32nd along with the likes of Hunter Mahan, Jordan Spieth and Louis Oosthuizen.

HOYLAKE, England — With a thunderous drive down the middle of the fairway, Rory McIlroy began the final round of the British Open with a commanding lead Sunday and a keen sense of history.

McIlroy knew that a victory at Royal Liverpool would give him the third leg in a career Grand Slam. He already won the U.S. Open in 2011 and the PGA Championship in 2012.

“I’ve got a lot to play for,” he said beforehand. “This is a huge day for me.”

Not backing off a bit, he pulled out the driver at No. 1 and rocketed it more than 300 yards, straight as can be. Then, after sticking his approach to 15 feet, he rolled in the birdie putt to take his score to 17 under – just two shots away from matching Tiger Woods’ scoring record for any major in relation to par. Woods won the 2000 Open at St. Andrews with a `19-under total.

The 25-year-old McIlroy began the day with a six-stroke lead. Barring an unprecedented collapse, he would head to Augusta National next spring looking to join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen as the only players to win all four of golf’s biggest events.

Only Woods and Nicklaus won three of the majors at 25 or younger.

McIlroy posted three straight rounds in the 60s on the way to a 16-under 200. He teed off in the final group with Rickie Fowler, knowing that a victory would also mean a big payday for his dad.

British media reported that Gerry McIlroy and three of his friends placed a combined bet of 400 pounds (now $680) in 2004 on McIlroy winning the British Open before he turned 26.

McIlroy was 15 at the time.

The odds were 500-1, so they would win 200,000 pounds ($340,000) if McIlroy lifted the claret jug.

They had to like their chances. No player had surrendered such a big lead on the final day of the Open.

Fowler was at 206, while Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia were another shot back. The only other players closer than 10 shots to the lead were France’s Victor Dubuisson (208) and Italy’s Edoardo Molinari (209).

Storms rumbled through Hoylake after the third round, which the R&A wisely started early off two tees because of the forecast, but there was plenty of sunshine for the early starters Sunday and a freshening breeze off the Irish Sea.

Sixty-four-year-old Tom Watson, playing what is likely his next-to-last British Open, showed he’s still got plenty of game by shooting a 4-under 68. He finished at 1-over 289 for the tournament.

“It was a good day,” said Watson, a five-time Open champion who will be the U.S. captain for the Ryder Cup this fall. “I played a real solid round of golf.”

No so for Tiger Woods. Playing only his second tournament since back surgery, he had hoped to give Watson a strong reason to be included on that American team. Woods sure didn’t impress at Royal Liverpool, finishing five shots behind the captain.

Woods made another double bogey – his third of the week, to go along with two triple bogeys – and struggled to the finish with a 75. That left him at 294 for the week and a staggering 22 shots behind McIlroy before the leader even teed off.

“I just made too many mistakes,” Woods said, “way too many mistakes.”

Representing Canada, Brampton native David Hearn sits tied for 36th and at par.

HOYLAKE, England – From the time they faced each other in the Walker Cup, a couple of 18-year-olds with the world at their feet, Rickie Fowler figured he’d go at it again someday with Rory McIlroy in a major championship.

If only it was a fair fight.

Fowler will be playing in the final group of a major for the second straight time, but he faces a daunting six-stroke deficit heading to Sunday at the British Open.

With a brilliant finish to the third round, McIlroy put himself in prime position to capture his third major championship. Fowler only hopes he can put a bit of pressure on the leader.

Fowler and McIlroy were both rising young stars when they played in the 2007 Walker Cup, one of the top amateur competitions.

HOYLAKE, England – If organizers of the British Open needed any vindication of their historic decision to use a two-tee start at Royal Liverpool on Saturday, it came from Rory McIlroy about 30 minutes after his round.

Torrential rain was pounding the roof of the media tent as McIlroy was holding a news conference, discussing his third-round 68 that inched him closer to a first claret jug.

Asked if The R&A made the correct decision to go off two tees and send the whole field out early, the tournament leader looked up and pointed to the skies.

“It was a great decision,” McIlroy said. “They got it right.”

In a move that riled traditionalists, The R&A looked at the forecast of thunderstorms and heavy rain and decided late Friday to make an unprecedented schedule change. Half of the field was to begin on the 10th hole and all 72 remaining players were to set out within two hours of each other.

Sure enough, the heavy rain arrived – 30 minutes after McIlroy rolled in his eagle 3 at No. 18 to secure a six-shot lead with the last action of the day.

Players finishing their third rounds were generally accepting of the two-tee start.

“We’ve never done it before at the Open Championship,” said 2011 champion Darren Clarke, who was disbelieving when he was told over dinner on Friday. “It’s one of the beauties – you get good tee times, you get bad tee times.

“But they had to do it today, and it looks like they’ve made the perfect call.”

There had been only intermittent outbreaks of rain and barely any wind at Hoylake by the time McIlroy wrapped up the third round shortly before 4 p.m. local time (11 a.m. EDT).

McIlroy’s group finished about three hours earlier than usual on a Saturday at the British Open.

There was thunder and flashes of lightning in parts of the northwest of England overnight, and the forecast of more of the same across the area on Saturday led The R&A to act. A two-tee start had never been done in the tournament’s 154-year history.

Spectators arrived with their rain gear and umbrellas. A sign at the back of the ninth green read: “Be prepared, thunderstorm possible.”

In fact, the main gripe among players and fans was that they were not given enough time to prepare. One spectator was heard complaining that the decision was made too late, because it disrupted his travel plans.

“There’s a lot of surprise (among players) that no one could get their tee time until 10:30 last night,” 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose said. “That’s very tough when you’re trying to prepare for the tournament.”

Swedish player Henrik Stenson said he had gone to bed not knowing his tee time.

“My caddie woke up in the middle of the night and checked it,” Stenson said.

The split tee times also meant that the duties of Ivor Robson, the official starter for the British Open since 1975, were halved. Players getting underway on the 10th were introduced to the crowds by European Tour official Mike Stewart.

“I don’t know what to do now,” Robson told the BBC after calling out his last name for the day at 11:01 a.m. local time (6:01 EDT). “The last two days the tee times have been 6:24 (a.m.) till just past 4 (p.m.). I will watch golf I suppose.”

HOYLAKE, England – As his tee shot curled farther and farther away from the 17th fairway, heading toward all sorts of trouble, Tiger Woods simply stuffed his club in the bag.

He appeared to mumble something to himself, but that was about it.

No fiery outburst. No course language. No complaints about someone talking too loud, or being on the phone, or snapping a picture.

Shoulders slumping, Woods looked as though he had accepted his fate.

There won’t be a 15th major championship.

Not at this British Open.

Woods needed a birdie at the final hole – his only one of the day – just to make the cut. He walked off the 18th with a 5-over 77, his worst Open round since that stormy day at Muirfield in 2002, and headed to the weekend a staggering 14 shots behind the leader, Rory McIlroy.

“Not very good,” Woods said.

Indeed, it wasn’t.

Woods made double-bogey at the first hole, a bogey at the second. Just like that, all the good vibes from a 69 in the opening round were wiped away, his score tumbling to even par. From there, it was a grind – 14 pars in a row as McIlroy pulled away.

Then came the 17th, where Woods made such a mess of things, he nearly missed the cut at a major for only the fourth time in his professional career. That aforementioned tee shot sailed out of bounds right of the fairway, though Woods didn’t realize it until he had walked some 150 yards toward his ball.

Back to the tee box he trudged, to hit another after taking a one-stroke penalty. This time, Woods yanked it off in the tall grass to the left, between the 16th and 17th fairways. Four more shots were required to finish off a triple-bogey 7 that nearly finished off his hopes of getting in two more much-needed rounds.

Clearly, Woods is rusty after undergoing back surgery on March 31. He missed the Masters and the U.S. Open, finally returning to action at Congressional three weeks ago. He missed the cut in that event, and his opening round at Hoylake – five birdies in six holes on the back side – was merely an aberration.

There’s a lot of work to do.

“I had some opportunities to make a few birdies along the way to get back to even par for the day, and I just never did,” Woods said. “I just never made anything. I had myself in good positions to make birdies, and I just didn’t do it.”

More distressing for those in the Woods camp, his body language looked more and more defeated as McIlroy kept adding to what was a mere three-shot lead over Woods at the start of the round.

Woods sounded downright delusional when he brought up Paul Lawrie’s comeback from a 10-shot deficit on the final day at Carnoustie in 1999.

That, of course, required Jean Van de Velde to essentially give the tournament away on the 72nd hole.

Hard to see McIlroy making such a blunder – and, even if he did, Woods’ game being in any sort of shape to take advantage of it.

“I’m pretty far back,” Woods conceded. “Luckily I’ve got two rounds to go. And hopefully I can do something like Paul did in `99. He made up, I think, 10 in one day. Hopefully I can play well on the weekend and at least give myself a shot at it going to the back nine on Sunday.”

Actually, Woods’ rehabilitation would seem to be a longer-term project.

He showed flashes of his once-dominant form – that stretch of birdies on Thursday, a testy chip over a pot bunker to set up a 6-footer for birdie at the 18th on Friday – but the consistency just isn’t there. Too many errant drives. Too many iron shots that just weren’t quite close enough to the flag. Too many putts that came up short or slid by the cup.

What made it all the more striking was the performance by McIlroy, usually considered the most likely player to succeed Woods as the face of the game.

The Boy Wonder from Northern Ireland made his second straight 66 look downright easy, barely breaking a sweat on the sticky day.

“He plays pretty aggressively to begin with,” Woods said. “And when he’s going, he can get it going pretty good.”

That’s what they used to say about Woods, who was only 32 when he won his 14th major championship.

Now he’s 38, and still waiting to add another.

Hard to see that changing at Royal Liverpool.