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Hanson refusing to take Ryder Cup place for granted

Peter Hanson has won his last three play-offs © Getty Images

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Peter Hanson is taking nothing for granted, despite putting himself on the very cusp of automatic Ryder Cup selection with his victory at the Czech Open on Sunday.

Hanson tossed away a four-shot lead before eventually edging a three-way play-off to claim his fourth European Tour title. The Swede negotiated two extra holes before seeing off Gary Boyd and Peter Lawrie to chalk up his third consecutive play-off triumph.

Victory lifts Hanson above Paul Casey into an automatic Ryder Cup spot and, barring a miracle at the Johnnie Walker Championship, he is guaranteed a place on Colin Montgomerie's team. The only way he can fall out of contention is if Simon Dyson wins next weekend and Ross McGowan comes second, but Hanson is still not ready to celebrate his qualification for October's cross-continent showdown.

"We should not say I am on the team - we saw what happened this week," he said. "I am going to try to refocus, recharge my batteries and be ready to go again.

"This easily means the most of my wins at this minute. I know I won my home event a couple of years ago, but to come here knowing I pretty much have to win to have a chance of getting on the team and pull it off was fantastic."

Montgomerie now faces some big decisions, with Hanson's win confirming the fact that one or more of a quartet including Casey, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Justin Rose will not play at Celtic Manor. All four players have opted against the Johnnie Walker Championship, instead playing the FedExCup where no Ryder Cup points are on offer.

Meanwhile, Arjun Atwal, winner of his maiden PGA Tour title at the Wyndham Championship, welcomes a giant leap up the world golf rankings on Monday, moving from 450 to inside the top 200 with a new ranking of world No. 182.

World Rankings: 1. Tiger Woods (USA), 2. Phil Mickelson (USA), 3. Lee Westwood (Eng), 4. Steve Stricker (USA), 5. Martin Kaymer (GER), 6. Jim Furyk (USA), 7. Rory McIlroy (NI), 8. Ernie Els (RSA), 9. Paul Casey (Eng), 10. Luke Donald (Eng), 11. Ian Poulter (Eng), 12. Hunter Mahan (USA), 13. Graeme McDowell (NI),14. Anthony Kim (USA), 15. Zach Johnson (USA), 16. Retief Goosen (RSA), 17. Robert Allenby (Aus), 18. Padraig Harrington (IRE), 19. Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), 20. Sean O'Hair (USA)

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