Peter Hanson moved into the final place in the Ryder Cup standings with a victory in the Czech Open following a three-man play-off.
Swede on verge of Ryder Cup team after Czech Open win
Peter Hanson moved into eighth place in the Ryder Cup standings with a victory in the Czech Open following a three-man play-off.
The Swede, who only received an invitation to play at the Prosper Resort on Monday, holed from 25 feet at the third extra hole to deny Peter Lawrie and Gary Boyd.
It means Hanson leaps above Miguel Angel Jimenez in the standings for Colin Montgomerie's team in Wales, with Paul Casey out of the reckoning and in need of a wild card pick.
Monty names his team next Sunday following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, the final qualification event.
Hanson had earlier blown his four-shot overnight lead with a hat-trick of bogeys from the second, while Englishman Boyd had moved up to 10 under par with four birdies in his first five holes.
The Swede then chipped in at the next to join Boyd at the top but the Banbury golfer picked up another shot at the seventh before reaching the turn in 31.
But it was Lawrie, who had started the day eight shots behind Hanson, who posted the early target at 10 under after a sensational burst round the turn that saw him pick up six shots in five holes, including an eagle at the 10th.
Step in
With the other Ryder Cup hopefuls, Simon Dyson (72) and Jimenez (73) failing to fire, the door was open for Hanson to step into the team for Celtic Manor.
But after birdieing the 10th he then double-bogeyed the 12th, and it was only a birdie at the long 16th that enabled him to join Lawrie and Boyd in the play-off, having managed to get up and down from a difficult lie at the last.
Boyd was already in the clubhouse on 10 under despite back-pedalling on the back nine, dropping shots at the 11th and 15th to slip out of the lead before holing from 10 feet for birdie on 18.
All three players parred the first two play-off holes as they continued to play the 18th, but finally it was Hanson who found himself within birdie range and he made it third time lucky as he drained the putt.
"I thought i was going to have to shoot under par," he admitted. "I was lucky in the end.
Bad start
"I got off to a bad start but managed to hang in on the front nine then I made a terrible mistake on 12th hitting it into that back bunker.
"I was just lucky to get back into it. It was an up and down, rollercoaster day. I lost my head a bit on the back nine, and I had some great help from my caddie.
"To come here knowing I had to win and to pull that off feels great. There's another week to go but I'm in a much better position now and it feels great."
