Ryder Cup Hopeful Thomas Pieters Wins Made in Denmark

Thomas Pieters picked up his third European Tour win on Sunday, making a compelling case for his inclusion in the Ryder Cup.

The battle for the final three spots on the European Ryder Cup team just got a lot more interesting. On Sunday, Belgium’s Thomas Pieters fired a closing 65 to win the Made in Denmark by a single stroke. While the victory wasn’t enough to get him inside the automatic qualifying bubble, it should go a long way towards convincing captain Darren Clarke that he belongs on the team.

Pieters began his week at Himmmerland with a Thursday 62, good for a share of the first round lead. However, he followed that up with a 71 on Friday and and trailed 54-hole leader Bradley Dredge by one at the start of the fourth round.

The final round was a chaotic one, but by the time Pieters reached the 18th tee, he was tied for the lead with playing partner Joakim Lagergren. However, while the latter lost his ball off the tee en route to a triple bogey, Pieters was able to circle his third birdie in a row to seal the victory.

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“It’s all about winning tournaments. I’m really happy with this one,” said Pieters, according to EuropeanTour.com. “That was one of my goals, to just have one every year, just so you know you’re improving and you can win. That’s very important. I’m very, very happy.”

Dredge, who held the lead after the second and third rounds, came within a whisker of what would have been his third European Tour victory. The Welshman closed with a 67 — not bad, but not enough to stay ahead of the surging Pieters. Only a lengthy birdie on the last could lift him into solo second.

Soren Kjeldsen was the only Dane to make the top 10 this week. The world No. 45 closed with a strong 66 to jump four spots up the leaderboard into a tie for eighth. He may not have won, but his galleries were some of the largest and most enthusiastic of the week.

While Pieters’ win will definitely help his Ryder Cup prospects, he wasn’t the only player in the mix for a captain’s pick to have a solid week. Martin Kaymer tied for sixth place, while both Shane Lowry and Francesco Molinari found the top 30.

Even so, Pieters doesn’t seem to be worried — rather, he acknowledges that he’s done everything in his power. “[Clarke] has got plenty of good players to pick from, so if he doesn’t pick me, then so be it and I’ll work my butt off to get there in the next one,” he said. “But I’ve done all I can now and I’m just really pleased with this win to be honest.”

While his Ryder Cup status is up in the air, one thing is certain: now with three victories, Thomas Pieters is quickly developing into a force on the European Tour.

Next: Here's Who Darren Clarke Should Pick for Team Europe

Will we see Thomas Pieters at the Ryder Cup? Let us know what you think in the comments, and keep it here at Pro Golf Now for more updates as we get closer to this year’s competition.

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