Chris Hanson superbly holds nerve to get over line in Qualifying School marathon

THE final two holes on Thursday that helped earn Woodsome Hall's Chris Hanson his "dream" prize of a card to play on the European Tour should also serve to bolster his confidence for the 2016 season.
Woodsome Hall's Chris Hanson.Woodsome Hall's Chris Hanson.
Woodsome Hall's Chris Hanson.

Having played 106 holes of the Final Qualifying School at PGA Catalunya Resort in northern Spain, and having just three-putted the 16th for a bogey, he stood right on the crucial seven-under-par mark that would hand the top 25 and ties their ticket to Race to Dubai's 2016 campaign.

A board at the side of the green alerted Hanson - who had led after four rounds alongside fellow Yorkshireman Daniel Gavins - to what appeared a perilous position.

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But he shouldered the pressure to par both 17 and 18 to win the right to play alongside the likes of major champions Rory McIroy, Justin Rose and Yorkshire's Danny Willett and Matt Fitzpatrick, the latter pair both winners on tour this season.

"It's weird, I didn't feel particularly under pressure (after seeing the leaderboard at 16)," Hanson said. "I just felt more frustrated the way the day had panned out.

"I was frittering shots away really. Going through the round afterwards with my caddie, I hit a heck of a lot of good shots down the stretch, but one bad shot down 13 cost me.

"I hit a great tee shot there and then one bad shot (his approach) came up short of the green and spun back into water and that was a double, and then I three-putted 16."

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Hanson carded a six-over-par 78, but his work of the previous five days when he had compiled scores of 70 63 66 71 and 73 got him over the line.

"It hasn't sunk in," he said ahead of trying to sleep despite the excitement of the day and almost six hours of fielding phone calls of congratulations.

He will fly home today and Woodsome Hall will hold a special function at the clubhouse tonight, organised by his wife to celebrate his achievement.

"It's been absolute madness. Mad for the family back home as well by the sounds of it," he said.

"My wife's been speaking to everyone. It's brilliant, a dream come true."

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