First round leaderboard:
-6 S Kapur (Ind) -5 T Goya (Arg), P Hanson (Swe) -4 R Bland (Eng), J Guerrier -3 R Kulacz (NZ), J M Lara (Spa), S Hend (NZ), R Finch (Eng), C Carranza (Arg), F Widmark (Swe) Selected others: -2 S Wall (Eng), S Dyson (Eng), P Lawrie (Sco) -1 M A Jimenez (Spa) Level O Wilson (Eng) +1 R McGowan (Eng)
 Hanson hopes to force his way into Europe's Ryder Cup team |
Sweden's Peter Hanson has boosted his hopes of a European Ryder Cup spot with an opening-round 67 to leave him joint-second in the Czech Open. A victory in Celandna on Sunday would move Hanson to eighth in the European points list for the Ryder Cup. He is in a strong position to do so, level with Argentine Tano Goya and one shot behind leader Shiv Kapur of India. Fellow Ryder Cup hopeful Miguel Angel Jimenez, who is currently eighth in the points list, shot a one-under par 71. With one more week to go in the race for European Ryder Cup places, and only the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles to come, the battle for the remaining two automatic spots and three wildcards in captain Colin Montgomerie's side remains undecided. Hopefuls Paul Casey and Padraig Harrington - currently ninth and 10th in the points list - have opted not to play here or at Gleneagles, opening the door to the likes of Hanson and Englishman Simon Dyson, who is also competing in the Czech Republic.  | 606: DEBATE |
Hanson's round was an assured one, featuring seven birdies, with shots dropped on the par-four second and 12th. "If you have a chance to make the team or especially if you want a pick it might be good to play," said Hanson, who made the trip to the Czech Republic from America after 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." Dyson closed his round with four birdies to leave him two under and joint 13th on the Czech leaderboard. Dyson, who shared 12th place in the US PGA Championship with Paul Casey on Sunday, is 16th in the points list for Celtic Manor - one place below Hanson. "This round can't do me any harm," said Dyson, who flew back from Chicago on Monday night, then caught another flight to Prague and after that had to take a train to Ostrava. "If I can get a couples of top threes or a win you never know and it was great to finish that way. "I played the pro-am yesterday and was shattered, but I got a good night's sleep." On Thursday, Dyson played with compatriot Ross McGowan, who at 11th in the Ryder Cup standings needs a top-four finish this week or in the Johnnie Walker Championship to overtake Casey. However, McGowan struggled, posting double-bogeys on the ninth and 10th in a one-over round of 73. The other British players in the top ten after their opening round in Celadna are Englishmen Richard Bland (68) and Richard Finch (69).
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