Sunday, 08 April 2012 00:30

Golf-Masters leader Hanson prefers home over hype

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AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 7 (Reuters) - Sweden's Peter Hanson

enjoyed a classic Masters television moment en route to his

superb seven-under 65 on Saturday but says he will be steering

well clear of his flat screen before the final round.

Hanson will bid to become the first European golfer to win

the Masters since 1999 after his cool and confident play gave

him a one-stroke lead over American Phil Mickelson going into

Sunday's final round.

Mickelson was playing in the pairing behind the Swede and

when he eagled on the 13 with a brilliant, curling putt from 20

feet, the roar from the crowd echoed across Augusta National.

The noise did not have to travel far to Hanson, on the 14th,

but he kept his composure to make birdie.

"That was one of those special kind of Masters moments that

I've watched so many times on television," said Hanson.

"You could hear the crowd going wild when he made the

eagle. It kind of helped me on 14. I'm standing in the middle of

the fairway and I feel him breathing down my neck a little bit

and manage to get mine close on 14 and picked up another birdie

on 15."

Birdies on each of the final two holes gave Hanson a lead to

sleep on for the first time in a major but he said he will not

be looking to relive the special moments on television back at

his residence.

"It's a new situation for me. I've been up on the

leaderboard a few times, but I've never led in anything like

this," he said.

"I know it's going to be a tough night and I will just try

to do the normal stuff. I've got my two kids here and my wife,

and so we will just stay in the house and cook.

"I probably won't be watching a lot of Golf Channel or

stuff. Just trying to stay away from all that and try to get as

much sleep as I can and try to be ready for tomorrow."

The personable Hanson, widely liked among his fellow

professionals, said he will immerse himself in his family before

returning to the course for Sunday's final round with Mickelson.

"We have a great house here, so probably spend time with

the kids. We have a nice place with toys in the backyard and

playground. I'll take it pretty easy," he said.

"To me the key thing is try to not watch too much of the

buzz around this, because I know there will be. I'll just try to

stay away from it and come up here tomorrow and do my normal

routine with my putting before lunch and then get to the range

and try to just enjoy the moment on the first tee."

Hanson played with Mickelson in the first two rounds here

and said that he had gained energy from the crowd support for

the American on Thursday and Friday.

On Sunday, Hanson knows the attention will be on his rival

for the winner's green jacket and he is perfectly happy with

that situation.

"He will be the big-time favorite to win, so I kind of see

myself still as a little bit of an underdog," said Hanson.

"We'll just see what happens."

(Reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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