• Czech Open, Round Two

Hanson builds solid platform at Czech Open

Peter Hanson is well placed to bid for the title and a Ryder Cup place at the weekend but was still cursing his putter © Getty Images

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Peter Hanson handled the pressure of chasing a Ryder Cup spot quite superbly as he carded a 70 to sit on seven-under after two rounds of the Czech Open, enough to hand him a share of the lead alongside Fredrik Widmark.

While ninth-placed person in the Ryder Cup standings Paul Casey elected to take the week off, Hanson asked for a sponsors' invitation to boost his chances of making Colin Montgomerie's side by right and he has set about his task with zest.

The Swede opened his account with a 67 on Thursday to fire himself into contention and he consolidated on Friday. He mixed birdies and bogeys on the front nine and turned at one-under after rolling in a birdie on the 18th, his ninth.

He passed up a couple of presentable chances on his 13th and 14th, but fashioned a fantastic birdie on his par three 15th with a stunning tee shot to eight feet.

Hanson continued to split the fairway and as a consequence will feel he left a couple of shots out on the course as excellent birdie openings on the final two holes slid by.

"It was a good day," Hanson told Sky Sports. "I struck it nicely again but did not make as many putts. It is quite tricky and you have to find the right tiers and hit some good putts. I had some good opportunities today.

"I am feeling good about my game and my form is getting better. I am driving better, hitting the irons great and it is about making those putts. I could have gone low today and probably left four or five shots out there."

Fredrik Andersson-Hed played alongside Hanson and he was rewarded for some excellent short-iron play with a round of 68 to sit one off his playing partner at six-under, alongside Peter Lawrie, Clodomiro Carranza and Nicolas Colsaerts.

Kenneth Ferrie has returned to play in Europe after a torrid time in America and he found some form at the Prosper Golf Resort, firing a 68 to move to five-under.

Australian Scott Hend has had a difficult couple of years but feels his game is improving steadily and he posted a 70 to sit at five-under after 36 holes.

"After the way I practiced I would have been happy with even par, so to be on five-under is great," Hend said. "It has been a frustrating year so far, but my golf is improving and I am looking to get back to where i was in '04 and '05."

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