All's well in the end for Hanson

EUROPEAN TOUR:PETER HANSON warmed up for the Ryder Cup in fine style by claiming victory at the KLM Open in Hilversum.

It was the Swede’s fifth European Tour title and he sealed the win with a stunning eagle at the 18th to finish on 14 under par.

The victory was all the more impressive as he came close to withdrawing from the event after his one-year-old son Tim was hospitalised with a respiratory virus on Friday.

Having received positive news on his child’s condition, Hanson opted to continue.

“I’m very happy. I’m still feeling for Tim, of course, but he’s getting better and better, so I’m very happy about that,” he said.

“Yesterday was very tough, but I kind of calmed down a little bit yesterday evening when I heard he was over the worst of it.”

Hanson’s form will have delighted Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal, with less than three weeks to wait before the match against the United States at Medinah.

Overnight co-leader Pablo Larrazabal finished second after a level-par 70, with Scotland’s Richie Ramsey joining him after a 67.

Spaniard Larrazabal looked set to claim the title after Hanson, one behind at the time, drove into the trees at the 16th. However Hanson recovered for a par, while on the same hole

Larrazabal made a bogey as they went into the final two holes level.

Both parred the penultimate hole before Hanson’s lengthy putt on the last placed the pressure firmly on Larrazabal.

He could only manage a par and two birdies in the last two from Ramsey meant they shared second place.

Scotland’s Scott Jamieson finished a further two strokes back, while England’s Graeme Storm and Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, the other players to share top spot overnight, tied for fifth with Henrik Stenson on nine under.

At one stage yesterday, Storm had held a five-stroke lead.

Swede Stenson had two eagles and three bogeys in a 69, but it was Richard Finch who enjoyed the round of the day.

The Englishman moved to seven under for a share of 12th place courtesy of a 64, containing a holed bunker shot for birdie at four, an eagle at 12 and a stunning albatross two on the last.

Damien McGrane led the Irish challenge after his final round 69 left him on four-under par, one better than Darren Clarke and Peter Lawrie. Simon Thornton was a shot further back, after closing with a 75. Gareth Maybin ended up on six over par.