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Swede Peter Hanson Wins at Pula
The temperamental spring weather played a major part in the Iberdrola Open Cala Millor Mallorca golf tournament held at the Pula course last weekend. High winds and a thunderstorm on Friday made playing conditions difficult, but didn’t stop Sweden’s Peter Hanson from winning in a dramatic playoff against Spaniard Alejandro Cañizares.
South African James Kingston benefited from the best of the weather conditions to lead the field on the first day, setting the pace with a 5-under par lead. "I didn't have a nice day out there." he said.
On Friday, another Swede, Pelle Edberg, completed a superb second round of 64 to join Kingston at the top of the leaderboard. By the halfway stage Edberg and Kingston were three clear of the rest of the field and the Pula course was being described as “brutal”.
On Saturday Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño from Madrid managed an impressive round of 68 to go into the final day of competition alongside Edberg at 4 under par. However, everything changed on Sunday.
Both overnight leaders had terrible starts dropping shots on the first three holes, allowing Peter Hanson to go into the lead at 3 under par. At the end of 18 holes he was joined at 6 under par by Canizares, the 27 year old son of former Ryder Cup player Jose Maria, and the scene was set for a play-off.
Despite a one-shot penalty for a double hit on the 12th, Hanson made two birdie putts to fight back. Both shot 66 to end 6 under par but Canizares bogeyed the first extra hole.
Victory here in Mallorca could lift Hanson back into the world's top 50. “It feels absolutely fantastic," he said.
