Peter Hanson wins KLM Open

Sweden's Peter Hanson has won the KLM Open at Hilversumsche Golf Club by two shots from Pablo Larrazabal of Spain and Scotland's Richie Ramsay.

Peter Hanson wins KLM Open (Getty Images)

Sweden's Peter Hanson has won the KLM Open at Hilversumsche Golf Club by two shots from Pablo Larrazabal of Spain and Scotland's Richie Ramsay.

Hanson came close to withdrawing from the tournament on Friday when his one-year-old son was diagnosed with a respiratory virus. But the Ryder Cup star received positive news on the child's condition and continued playing.

He ended thde tournament on 14-under-par, two ahead of his closest rivals, Pablo Larrazabal of Spain and Scotland's Richie Ramsay.

 "It's always a nice feeling to win, but especially this week with how things have been with my son being a little bit ill," he said. "He has managed to get over that and he's getting better and better, which is the most important thing. When he was put into hospital on Friday, I was panicking. He was not good for 12 to 14 hours there and as a parent that makes you feel very vulnerable. I just wanted to go back home and look after the family, but my wife convinced me to stay. They were in good hands; there was nothing I could do and she was telling me that, but when your kids get sick you don't think straight."

Richie Ramsay looked like he might make it three Scottish European Tour winners in a row following his victory last week and Paul Lawrie's at Gleneagles the week before. He birdied three of the last four holes to match Hanson's 68 but he came up two shots shy of the Swede.

"I definitely chased him down," he said. "I said to him I gave you a scare there. It's nice to see him win but I'm massively pleased with my performance and more world ranking points."

Tied in second place was Spain's Pablo Larrazabal. He challenged well for the victory, but a closing round of 70 put him out of the chase for the title.

"That is what happened today," he said. "Level par with the way I played today tee to green is a poor score. You have to make the birdie putts.

KLM Open Hilversumsche Golf Club, Hilversum, the Netherlands Sep 6-9, purse €, par 70

1   Peter Hanson (Swe)   66   66   67   67   266   €300,000 T2   Pablo Larrazabal (Esp)   69   65   64   70   268   €156,340 T2   Richie Ramsay (Sco)   71   66   64   67   268   €156,340 4   Scott Jamieson (Sco)   68   64   66   71   269   €90,000 T5   Gonzalo Fdz-Castano (Esp) 67 65    66   73   271   €64,440    T5   Henrik Stenson (Swe)   68   70   64   69   271   €64,440 T5   Graeme Storm (Eng)   63   66   69   73   271   €64,440 T8   Gregory Bourdy (Fra)   69   68   69   66   272   €38,610 T8   Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)   70   65   67   70   272   €38,610 T8   Anders Hansen (Den)   70   67   68   67   272   €38,610 T8   Richard Sterne (RSA)   70   68   66   68   272   €38,610

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?