Year-on-year rise as Yorkshireman Chris Hanson makes fine start to season

WOODSOME HALL'S Chris Hanson fell back into a tie for 11th place in the Alfred Dunhill Championship with a final-round 76 after holding a share of second place going into both the third and fourth rounds.
Two bogeys in his last three holes cost Chris Hanson a top-10 finish at Leopard Creek in South Africa (Picture: David Davies/PA Wire).Two bogeys in his last three holes cost Chris Hanson a top-10 finish at Leopard Creek in South Africa (Picture: David Davies/PA Wire).
Two bogeys in his last three holes cost Chris Hanson a top-10 finish at Leopard Creek in South Africa (Picture: David Davies/PA Wire).

But the Yorkshireman showed a €10,000 improvement on his performance in the tournament at Leopard Creek last year when he placed 44th in his first event as a full card-carrying member of the European Tour.

The host nation’s Brandon Stone cruised to a seven-shot victory after producing a closing 67 to finish the week on 22 under par.

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Hanson, playing in the final group alongside Stone and another South African, Keith Horne, fell six shots adrift and effectively out of contention after a double bogey at the second and a further dropped shot at the fourth.

Another shot went at nine, and he matched three inward bogeys – including two costly ones at 16 and 18 – with three birdies to come home in level par.

The playing conditions were sweltering and Hanson joked: “Shame my golf wasn’t as hot as the weather, but it was a great week to start the year.

“There were some testing pins out there, for sure.

“It was not to be. I was out of position off the tee and it’s never easy then. But it’s a nice start to the season – now onto Hong Kong.”

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Hanson won €18,580 as compared to his Leopard Creek winnings of €7,950 in 2015 and although his 76 partially marred the groundwork laid by earlier rounds of 69 65 68, he reflected: “If I had shot 76 om Friday I would not have even been playing at the weekend.”

The European Tour’s wrap-around 2016-17 season began with concurrent tournaments in South Africa and Australia, with Harold Varner III overcoming local favourite Andrew Dodt in a thrilling final-day battle to win the Australian PGA Championship on the Gold Coast.

Queenslander Dodt had led since day one and went into the final round with a two-shot lead over fellow Australian Ashley Hall and Varner, but the American carded a brilliant closing 65 to take the title by two shots at 19 under.

World No 7 Adam Scott was third at 15 under, a shot clear of Hall.