Mixed feelings for Hanson

Peter Hanson has admitted to having mixed feelings from the 2012 Ryder Cup. While Jose Maria Olazabal's European team mounted an historic comeback to win the matches 14 ½ - 13 ½ at Medinah last week, Sweden's Hanson only played in one pairs match and ultimately finished the weekend as the only European player not to have contributed any points.

"I didn't get to play as much as I wanted to at the Ryder Cup, but it was a fantastic week," said Hanson at St Andrews today, at a TaylorMade putting clinic prior to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which starts tomorrow. "I am left with mixed feelings. My confidence was very high when I got to Medinah, but when you have to sit out it does knock your confidence a bit - you can't help it.

"Looking back, going into the Ryder Cup my expectations were too high. I was a rookie at Celtic Manor, and when you are a rookie you are just happy to play at all. This time I came with really good form, and just after a win, but maybe I should not have been so wound up and ready to play."

Hanson, who turns 35 on Friday, claimed his fifth career title on the European Tour at the beginning of September, at the KLM Open, which followed a finish of tied-7th at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

"The pairings are up to the captain," he added, "but I went there hoping to play in maybe four matches and to win a few points. I wasn't very happy not to play on the Saturday. Martin Kaymer didn't play on the Saturday either but he took the news a lot better than I did and I had a word with Ollie about it.

"Even now, when Jose Maria looks back at the first two days, when we finished four points behind the Americans, I don't think he would be very happy with how things were looking. Ultimately though, we had such a great team, with so many good players, that we managed to pull it off on the Sunday. That is the main thing."

Hanson tees off at 9:44 at Carnoustie in the first round today.

Article courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, the official car of the 2012 Ryder Cup and the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.