Golf - Czech Open:Ryder Cup hopeful Peter Hanson is doing his chances of making it to Celtic Manor the power of good as he grabbed a share of the lead on the second day of the Czech Open at Prosper Golf Resort.
The 32-year-old could move from 15th to eighth on the Ryder Cup points table with a win, which would knock Paul Casey out of an automatic qualifying spot with just next week's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles as the final counting event - which Casey has chosen not to play in.
Hanson added a two under par 70 to his opening 67 for a seven under 137 halfway aggregate and was joined by fellow Swede Fredrik Widmark, whose scores were the reverse as he shot 67 at the Celadna venue today.
Hanson missed chances and could have held the outright lead, most notably when he failed to hole from within five feet on his final green, the 363-yard ninth.
“I left four or five shots out there - I felt I could go really low,” he said. “I struck the ball very nicely again, but didn’t make as many putts.
“But it was a good day and I am feeling good about my game. The last two weeks my form has been getting better and better and it’s all about making those putts.”
Peter Lawrie and Shane Lowry picked off birdies for fun as they both moved into contention at six and five under respectively.
After starting at the 10th Lawrie's 68 ignited with five birdies in a row from the 17th, his eighth. The Dubliner could have been overnight leader had he not dropped shots at the sixth and eighth on the way home.
Lowry's scintillating 64 was riddled with birdies, nine in all, and just the one dropped shot at the short 15th. It more than made up for his opening 75 and, rather than worrying about missing the cut, the 23-year-old is inside the top 10 and can think about contending for the €333,330 top prize over the weekend.
For a long period Michael Hoey was the leading Irishman and was six under at one stage. However he haemorrhaged four shots in the last four holes; starting with a double bogey five at the 15th, bogey at the next and a closing bogey at 18.
It all added up to a level par 72 to remain two under but it could have been so much better. The Belfast professional is still only five shots off the lead.
Damien McGrane (72) and Gary Murphy (73), who both finished on two over, were on target to sneak into the weekend, while Simon Thornton is set to have the weekend off after a 73 left him three over.
Overnight leader Shiv Kapur from India was one of the later starters and failed to get going and dropped back to four under after a 74.
With regards the Ryder Cup, other European candidates were late starters but Miguel Angel Jimenez, co-designer of the Prosper course and eighth in the standings, eventually signed for a 70 to be well-placed on three under.
Simon Dyson was even better after a 69 left the Englishman five under alongside Lowry. Ross McGowan (71) and Oliver Wilson (72) were one under and level par respectively.