Hanson well placed for Cup challenge

Peter Hanson lurks as the biggest danger to first round leader Shiv Kapur at the Czech Open – and to Paul Casey in the Ryder Cup race.

The 32-year-old Swede will oust the absent Casey from Europe’s top nine with victory at the Prosper Resort in Celadna on Sunday, and a five-under-par 67 has left him just one behind Kapur.

Hanson lies 15th in the points race, but there is a €330,000 first prize and, as one of only two of the world’s top 50 in the field, it is a golden opportunity.

The other is Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez. Currently eighth on the cup table, he started with a 71 and should be concerned about the possibility of being overtaken by Hanson as well.

English trio Simon Dyson, Oliver Wilson and Ross McGowan are also chasing a spot in Colin Montgomerie’s side and they shot 70, 72 and 73 respectively.

Asked about the controversial decision of Casey – and also Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald, both of whom are just outside a qualifying spot – not to enter next week’s race-ending Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Hanson clearly stated his view.

“If you have a chance to make the team or especially if you want a pick (like Justin Rose, another stay-away) it might be good to play,” he said.

After two weeks in America during which he was eighth at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational – that made him top European – Hanson made the long trip after asking for and receiving a sponsor’s invitation on Monday.

“That gave me the chance to get into the team and the tournament organisers have been very nice to me,” he added.

“If I could put myself in position come Sunday it would be fantastic.”

Kapur led from the moment he had six successive birdies from the second after teeing off at 7.20am.

“I think I was half-asleep and woke up around the turn,” said the 28-year-old Indian, who has missed his last three halfway cuts and seven of the last nine.

Kapur, ranked 256th in the world and 100th on the European Tour this season, started the inward half with back-to-back bogeys, but then birdied the 16th and 18th to hold off the chasing pack.

Hanson shares second with Argentina’s Tano Goya, while Dyson shook off jet-lag - he could not get a flight back from the States until Monday night and then flew on to Prague and caught a train to Ostrava – with four closing birdies.

“It was great to finish that way,” said the York golfer, who was joint 12th with Casey in the USPGA Championship. “I played the pro-am and was shattered, but got a good night’s sleep.”

McGowan, 11th on the points table and needing to come fourth to overtake Casey, started and ended with a double bogey, but the 16 holes in between were good enough to suggest he might yet have a say in things.

Last year’s Dubai World Championship runner-up has had wrist and shoulder injuries and made a late decision to play rather than rest.