Hansen takes one shot lead into last day

Denmark's Soren Hansen takes a one-stroke lead over local favourite Maarten Lafeber into Sunday's Dutch Open final round, seeking his second European Tour win.

The 29-year-old overtook Dutchman Lafeber, who is looking for an overdue maiden title, with a blistering run over the back nine on Saturday, collecting five birdies after the turn to card a four-under-par 66.

On 11-under 199, he heads Lafeber, who equalled the best round of the week with a 64, by a shot. Ireland's Gary Murphy and Briton Jamie Donaldson are a further stroke back.

Hansen hardly looked a threat early on as he reached the turn one-over, but then he suddenly found his putting touch to come home five-under.

"It's been the same all week, nothing happening and then a few putts dropped," said Hansen, winner of the 2002 Irish Open after a playoff.

"A second win would be lovely because the season has been strange, painful in some stages. I've planned my schedule rather stupidly and find myself in 61st on the order of merit.

"I suddenly realised only the top 60 get into the Volvo Masters so I need to get myself in gear because I don't want to be missing it.

"It should be exciting with the crowd urging on Maarten, he's due a win soon. We shouldn't be thinking it's just between us two, though."

Lafeber's day was just the opposite to Hansen's as he wrested the lead with an exhilarating early run, picking up six strokes in his first 10 holes but then found only pars coming home.

He has been knocking on the winner's door for two years and has a third and two fourth places, including tied fourth in the Dunhill Links Trophy two weeks ago, to his credit this season.

The 28-year-old from nearby Amsterdam is in line to be the first home winner of the Dutch Open since 1947 when Joop Ruhl won in Eindhoven.

"I've been getting better each year and this would be a nice week to finally do it," said Lafeber, who is using Belgian sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout, Ernie Els' mental coach, to "try to stay patient on the course."

Another Dane, 41-year-old Steen Tinning, who has said he will retire after defending his Madrid Open title in two weeks' time, is in a quartet three strokes off the lead.

Overnight leader Fredrik Widmark of Sweden, in his rookie year, never recovered from three opening bogeys and slid seven shots off the pace with a 75.

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