Hanson on course to extend Swedish run

Peter Hanson could be the man to give Sweden their third successive victory on the European Tour tomorrow.

After the victories for Peter Hedblom in Scotland and Alex Noren in Switzerland, the 31-year-old Hanson leads England's Simon Dyson, Dane Soren Hansen and South African James Kingston by one entering the final round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne.

If he goes on to win, it would also keep the trophy in Swedish hands. Robert Karlsson, unable to play this week because of an eye problem which has kept him out since May, triumphed by two last year.

Hanson was relieved to discover last month that he was not suffering from swine flu.

He fell sick at The Open in July and after a partial recovery became worse again on a flight to America.

"I thought I had swine flu because of the symptoms, especially when I got it back," he said.

"I was pretty sick, but I had all the tests and it wasn't. I'd played six weeks in a row and it was probably too much."

Three behind England's Chris Wood and Australian Scott Strange at halfway, Hanson came through with a joint best-of-the-day 67 while they shot 73 and 74 respectively.

Wood, the 21-year-old who was third at the Open, went 47 holes without a bogey and still had a chance then to become just the third player in Tour history to go through a tournament without one.

But he went into the crowd with his approach to the 12th, failed to get up and down and after driving in the water on the last bogeyed again to drop to joint seventh, but still only three behind.

Dyson won the KLM Open in Holland three weeks ago and his 68 came after he followed birdies on the 13th and 14th with an 18-foot eagle putt at the next.

"Confidence is amazing," said the 31-year-old from York.

"When it's low you can't see yourself getting it, but when it's high you don't see it going away.

"I've probably not dedicated myself as well as I should have, but I'm really giving it everything now.

"I want to be pitting my wits against the best players in the world. I was hoping I would be by now, but I've seen my mates playing them and I want to be there."

He is big friends with Nick Dougherty and he added: "I saw him win over a million dollars a few years ago and he told me he had dedicated himself a lot better.

"I'm always going in the gym now, especially the last five weeks.

"I go in before and after every round, I've cut out caffeine and I haven't had an alcoholic drink since the week before Holland.

"I lie - I had one beer after the win. I'll make up for it tomorrow because I've got a week off."

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the 78 of his compatriot Ross Fisher, who was in the last group with Wood and Strange.

With a chance to go third in the Tour money list, Fisher had a triple-bogey seven on the sixth, a double bogey at the short 16th and followed Wood into the water off the 18th tee.

World number six Henrik Stenson is tied for fifth with Londoner Anthony Wall, two behind on nine under, but Lee Westwood has six shots to make up and Colin Montgomerie seven