European TourBrian KeoghMichael Hoey, Gareth Maybin, Made in Denmark, Damien McGrane, Peter Lawrie, Simon Thornton1 Comment

Maybin flying high, Hoey grounded

European TourBrian KeoghMichael Hoey, Gareth Maybin, Made in Denmark, Damien McGrane, Peter Lawrie, Simon Thornton1 Comment
Maybin flying high, Hoey grounded

Ballyclare's Gareth Maybin is just three off the lead in the Made in Denmark event in Aalborg. Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

Michael Hoey mistakenly headed for home and bizarrely missed the third round of the Made in Denmark event but Ballyclare's Gareth Maybin is flying high and just three shots behind Marc Warren and Bradley Dredge heading into the final day at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort.

As Maybin fired a three under 68 to move up to solo third place on three under, Hoey was coming to terms with having to withdraw from the event after a miscalucuation with the cut number, followed by the nightmare that is Schiphol airport culminated in a withdrawal.

The five-time European Tour winner carded a second successive 73 on Friday and believing he had missed the cut on four over par, flew to Amsterdam. 

Michael Hoey, picture in Denmark on Friday by David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie

But James Heath's bogey in Friday's final group meant those on four over squeezed into the weekend action.

Hoey tried to book a return flight but was told the airline lost his clubs.

In the time spent trying to locate them, Hoey missed the one flight that would have got him back in time to tee off at 07:40 BST on Saturday and was then forced to withdraw.

He wrote on Twitter: "Home after a nightmare 24 hours, left Aalborg for Amsterdam, arrived, watched scores, made cut. KLM lost my clubs, missed flights back.

"Couldn't get private jet, train, car or any other way back so came home! At least I found my clubs this morning at Schiphol."


While Hoey wondered what might have been, Scotland's Warren tamed the difficult windy conditions with a masterful five under par round of 66 to share the lead with Dredge going into the final round.

Warren, who recorded a top 15 finish in last week’s US PGA Championship, started the third round seven shots behind Dredge, but carded eight birdies, including four over the closing six holes, and three bogeys to reel in the Welshman, who posted a round of 73.

The pair are tied on six under par 207 with Gareth Maybin lurking on three under after a fine 68 that gives him a chance of his first European Tour win.

Ranked 136th in the Race to Dubai, Maybin knows he needs some solid weeks over the next few months but he's comfortable in the wind and while he's not 100 percent happy with his swing, he hit all 14 fairways on Saturday and had 29 putts. Add to that the fact that he's made six of the last seven cuts and it's little wonder that he admits he's looking forward to the final round.

“I’ve played pretty well over the three days," Maybin told European Tour Radio's Nick Dye. "The first day I shot four over but it was brutal and I didn’t make any putts.

"I played pretty similar the last few days but I made some putts. The wind suits me with my low ball flight. I guess growing up in Northern Ireland helps when you have some wind.”

Ryder Cup hopeful Thomas Bjorn is five behind in a share of eighth after a second successive 73 and he admitted he was seriously impressed by Warren's 66 in front of fans that several players said created the best atmosphere seen on tour this year.

As for the rest of the Irish, Damien McGrane made three birdies and five bogeys in a two over 73 to slip to tied 26th on three over with Peter Lawrie also shooting 73 to share 50th on five over.

Simon Thornton shot a 75 but appeared to enjoy the atmosphere, despite falling to tied 71st on eight over.

Complete third round scores from Made in Denmark (par 71)

207 M Warren (Sco) 71 70 66, B Dredge (Wal) 66 68 73,

210 G Maybin (Nir) 75 67 68, S Wakefield (Eng) 71 67 72,

211 T Olesen (Den) 69 70 72, P Archer (Eng) 70 70 71, S Manley (Wal) 73 69 69,

212 T Björn (Den) 66 73 73, M Lundberg (Swe) 72 69 71, S Chowrasia (Ind) 70 71 71, E Pepperell (Eng) 73 68 71, O Fisher  (Eng) 75 65 72.

Other Irish

216 D McGrane (Irl) 73 70 73, 

218 P Lawrie (Irl) 70 75 73, 

221 S Thornton (Irl) 76 70 75

WD M Hoey (Nir) 73 73 WD