GOLF/PFA Championships: Anders Hansen needn't worry about being recognised following yesterday's superb seven under par 65 that catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard at 11 under par after the second round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Apparently people struggle to differentiate between Anders and his namesake, fellow Dane and tour player Soren. Anders admitted: "Everyone thinks were brothers and we're not. A lot of people think Hansen, but 15 per cent of Denmark's population is named Hansen."
Having enjoyed two top-10 finishes recently and given his form at Wentworth it is definitely Soren rather than the in-form Anders that will crave the confusion of identity.
Anders Hansen is two shots clear of Eduardo Romero (68) and first round leader Colin Montgomerie. Matters medical just will not disassociate themselves from the Scot but yesterday it was Montgomerie's much publicised back complaint that dominated proceedings but the fact that his drive on the 16th hole struck a spectator, Jonathan Edom, flush on the head, knocking the latter to the ground.
The collision of ball and bonce drew blood and there was a hold-up in play while Edom had his head bandaged and was removed to hospital.
The story may be slightly apocryphal but Edom is reputed to have moaned: "I wish I nutted it back onto the fairway." So did Montgomerie at that point. Instead he had to take a penalty drop from the bush in which his ball had come to rest and could do no better than a bogey five. Understandably the Scot seemed a little upset by the incident and on the completion of his round immediately left to phone the unfortunate spectator to inquire after his well being.
Distracted by the incident the Scot played the last three holes in two over to slip from pre-eminence. It wasn't an auspicious day for the Irish representatives. All bar Ronan Rafferty and Darren Clarke fell by the wayside. Padraig Harrington missed his first cut in Europe for 20 months on four over par, the real damage inflicted during Thursday's 76.
He conceded: "It's tough to come back from that. Two days practice, I'll look forward to that. There's always a bright side." He also admitted with a rueful smile that a journalist had mentioned that the Dubliner hadn't missed a cut since Crans-sur-Sierre.
Paul McGinley was annoyed with his golf. "I played horrendously for the two days. It's the worst I've played in a couple of years." Des Smyth (78), Eamonn Darcy (71), John Dwyer (75) - the Ashbourne man deserves especial mention: eight over going out he came back in 32 shots, five under the card - and Robert Giles never threatened to extend their interest in the tournament.
Rafferty's level par 72 that kept him at four under could have been two shots better but for an aberration on the 18th, where he took a double bogey seven.
"I hit it (the drive) about 30 yards left of where I wanted. I chipped it out and had 200 yards plus to the pin. You saw what I did." We did indeed.
He hooked his long iron into the front bunker, pitched out and took three putts. It was a terrible pity for a man who, by his own admission, is struggling confidence wise. The one time European number one will make only his fifth cut in the last two and a half years when he plays at the weekend.
"Clarke was philosophical after a 71 for three under overall. "I left about four shots out there. I'm giving myself chances but not taking enough."
SECOND ROUND SCORES: 133 - A Hansen (Den) 68 65; 135 - E Romero (Arg) 67 68, C Montgomerie 64 71; 136 - C Rodiles (Spa) 69 67, M McNulty (Zim) 67 69; 138 - M Campbell (Nzl) 68 70; 139 - S Torrance 71 68, G Turner (Nzl) 68 71, J Bickerton 71 68, D Gilford 68 71, A Forsyth 71 68, N Faldo 71 68, S Leaney (Aus) 68 71; 140 - Ronan Rafferty 68 72, J Van de Velde (Fra) 71 69, I Garrido (Spa) 69 71, T Bjorn (Den) 71 69, A Coltart 67 73, P O'Malley (Aus) 69 71, J Sandelin (Swe) 69 71; 141 - J Maria Olazabal (Spa) 68 73, Darren Clarke 70 71, A Cabrera (Arg) 70 71, N Dougherty 72 70, G Marks 71 70, G Clark 69 72; 142 - A Marshall 72 70, B Rumford (Aus) 72 70, G Emerson 73 69, T Gillis (USA) 68 74, G Havret (Fra) 73 69, B Lane 71 71, N Fasth (Swe) 71 71, L Parsons (Aus) 68 74, P Sjoland (Swe) 71 71, D Borrego (Spa) 68 74 143 - G Brand Jnr 70 73, R Gonzalez (Arg) 73 70, R Karlsson (Swe) 68 75, A Oldcorn 68 75, P Casey 71 72, P Lawrie 73 70, M Farry (Fra) 71 72, D Carter 71 72, G Evans 68 75, J Rivero (Spa) 71 72, M Brier (Aut) 71 72, T Immelman (Rsa) 69 74, G Owen 71 72, MA Martin (Spa) 70 73, R Wessels (Rsa) 72 71, S Delagrange (Fra) 70 73 144 - M Davis 69 75, D Fichardt (Rsa) 72 72, R Green (Aus) 71 73, S Hansen (Den) 75 69, P Price 72 72, R Muntz (Ned) 69 75, Y Wei-tze (Tai) 73 71, R Derksen (Ned) 74 70, D J Russell 68 76, M Urquhart 73 71, D Botes (Rsa) 70 74, J Berendt (Arg) 73 71, J Spence 72 72, J Moseley (Aus), C Hanell (Swe) 72 72. Missed cut: 145 - T Levet (Fra) 71 74, R Goosen (Rsa) 71 74, J Rose 74 71, J Remesy (Fra) 69 76, H Stenson (Swe) 73 72, R Chapman 73 72, W Bennett 72 73, H Nystrom (Swe) 74 71, S Lyle 71 74, Paul McGinley 71 74, L Westwood 70 75, A Scott (Aus) 69 76, S Webster 73 72, D Lee 71 74, P Golding 71 74, S Dyson 71 74; 146 - R Jacquelin (Fra) 71 75, F Jacobson (Swe) 71 75, I Garbutt 75 71, C Pettersson (Swe) 72 74, J Hugo (Rsa) 73 73, S Struver (Ger) 71 75, N Price 72 74, M Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 75, G Orr 72 74, M James 73 73, I Poulter 74 72, D Lynn 73 73; 147 - P Fulke (Swe) 71 76, R Johnson (Swe) 73 74, M Mouland 70 77, S Edwards 71 76, N O'Hern (Aus) 71 76; 148 - J Bevan 72 76, Padraig Harrington 76 72, C Gane 76 72, J Donaldson 75 73, T Johnstone (Zim) 76 72, I Ferrie 77 71, M Roe 72 76, I Ellis 73 75, D Greenwood 71 77, R Russell 71 77, P Way 73 75; 149 - M Nesbit 75 74, A Cejka (Ger) 74 75, M Mackenzie 74 75, C Wi (Kor) 75 74, M Wiggett 73 76 150 - M Pinero (Spa) 71 79, B Dredge 71 79, E Canonica (Ita) 76 74, Eamonn Darcy 79 71, J Singh (Ind) 73 77, O Karlsson (Swe) 73 77, S Kjeldsen (Den) 77 73, I Stanley (Aus) 74 76, John Dwyer 75 75 151 - J Haeggman (Swe) 74 77, C Rocca (Ita) 76 75, A Baddeley (Aus) 77 74, S Scahill (Nzl) 70 81 152 - A Duffin 73 79, A Forsbrand (Swe) 79 73, J Lomas 77 75, Des Smyth 74 78; 155 - Robert Giles 79 76; 156 - J Skold (Swe) 76 80; 157 - I Woosnam 73 84, M Pilkington 75 82; 159 - C Goodfellow 81 78. Withdrew: K Eriksson (Swe).
