World No 47

The Dane's win in the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, Germany, last month completed an up and down three months for him, with momentous highs mixed with a couple of lows. After coming second in the French Open in July, he finished in a tie for seventh, nineteenth, second and third place in four of his next six events but missed the cut by some distance in two tournaments.

The four-stroke win in Germany, which he sealed with two eagles on the back nine of his final round, was enough to lift the Dane into the world's top 50 and earn him a place at Wentworth this week. It also gained him selection for last week's Seve Trophy in Ireland, where his matchplay skills will have been tested.

Yet Hansen was swift to emphasise that he would not get carried away after his winner's cheque for £217,000 lifted him to seventh on the European Order of Merit and second in the fledgeling Ryder Cup standings. “To speak of the Ryder Cup at this moment is silly because it is a year away, almost,” Hansen said. “But golf is a funny thing. About three months ago I was 124th in the Order of Merit and now I am seventh, so you have to keep that in perspective. It is good to try to keep your feet on the ground.”

The 33-year-old from Copenhagen has been a professional for ten years and made his mark in 2002, when he won the Irish Open at the fourth extra hole of a four-man play-off. He said that he had been inspired by the victory that same year of his namesake and close friend Anders Hansen in the PGA Championship at Wentworth, so presumably Anders Hansen's repeat in that tournament this year has had a similar effect.

He lives in Monte Carlo with his wife and his 22-month-old son, Casper. A man of few words and fewer emotions, Hansen said after the birth of Casper that it was “the wildest experience I have ever had”.

Factfile

Age: 33 Nationality: Danish Wins: 3 Major wins: 0 Major record in 2007: Masters: did not compete; US Open: did not compete; Open: did not compete; US PGA: missed cut How he qualified for World Match Play: Second in Order of Merit not already qualified Previous WMP experience: None