Czech win hands Hanson Ryder Cup advantage

SWEDE Peter Hanson leapt from 15th to eighth in Europe’s Ryder Cup race after winning a dramatic and nerve-wracking Czech Open with an 18-foot play-off putt with Ireland’ Peter Lawrie and England’s Gary Boyd.

And it means Paul Casey, Pádraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Justin Rose cannot all play at Celtic Manor in October. Captain Colin Montgomerie will have to leave one of them out when he names his three wild cards next Sunday.

Hanson, who was not even in the penultimate event of the year-long race until he received an invitation last Monday, looked like blowing a four-stroke lead as the pressure mounted on the final day in Celadna.