STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Peter Hanson shot a 2-under 68 Saturday and took a two-stroke lead going into the final round of the SAS Masters.

Hanson, who has won only once in 174 European Tour starts, bogeyed the third hole but posted birdies on Nos. 5, 7 and 16.

"I played well on the first nine holes, but I missed a few fairways on the last nine," said Hanson, whose only win was the 2005 Spanish Open. "I must drive the ball better (Sunday)."

Hanson, trying to become the first Swede to win this event since Jesper Parnevik 10 years ago, has a 54-hole total of 10-under 200 on the Arlandastad Golf Course north of Stockholm.

Hanson is 23rd in the European Ryder Cup standings but could still qualify for the team that will defend the trophy next month against the United States at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky.

"I think I've put myself a little bit too far back, but if I win tomorrow I'll change my mind about taking next week off," he said. "I want to give myself every chance. Of course you can feel pressure playing at home, but I think it's more inspirational."

Nick Dougherty of England (70), Swedes Daniel Chopra (67) and Pelle Edberg (66), Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark (68) and Gary Orr of Scotland (67) were tied for second.

Dougherty, last year's runner-up, had two birdies and two bogeys on his card.

"I'm still in pretty good shape for tomorrow," he said. "Six guys could win it. It's just lovely to be in contention going into the final round."

Dougherty shared the overnight lead with Hanson and they were atop the leaderboard heading to the 16th hole. Dougherty missed his short par putt, and Hanson birdied the hole to take control.

Dougherty is a two-time winner on the European Tour. His last win came in the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland last year, but he has not had a top-50 finish in seven starts following the death of his mother in April.

Patrik Sjoland (70) of Sweden and Sam Walker of England (64) were tied for seventh at 204.

Parnevik, the tournament's player-manager, shared 26th place at 208. Defending champion Mikko Ilonen of Finland was another shot back and in a tie for 40th.

Chris Wood, making his professional debut four weeks after his fifth place in the British Open at Royal Birkdale, holed his pitch to the first for an eagle 2, and when he turned in a 5-under 29, he was only one off the lead.

But the back nine brought a double-bogey 6 on the 12th, and a closing bogey gave him a 68 and left him tied for ninth on 5 under, five behind.

"I can't be disappointed, given how I felt," said the 20-year-old from England. "I had some food poisoning yesterday, was sick in the night and didn't sleep much. I feel all right now, but I've not eaten anything and didn't feel comfortable with my swing."

Hanson bogeyed the third, while Dougherty birdied it, but he came back with birdies on the fifth, seventh and 16th. The last of them was the decisive one of the round, with Dougherty missing the green and then failing to sink his three-foot par putt.

"Both my wins have come from the front, but I will take where I am right now," said Dougherty. "It's just lovely to be in contention going into the final round.

"Not a lot went for me out there," he added. "I thought I played better than level par, but missed everything in the 15-foot range -- and you need to make a few of those to shoot a good score. The wind was in the opposite direction, though, and it took a little bit of adapting to."

Orr's season began with him uncertain of his Tour future following back trouble last year, but now the 41-year-old has an opportunity to add to his Portuguese Open and British Masters successes in 2000.

"I've not been playing too badly, but I've just not been putting it altogether," he commented, after a 67 including a hat trick of birdies from the third. "I worked hard on my short game while on holiday in the south of France last year, getting up early before it got too hot."

Kjeldsen is 16th on the points table and, like Dougherty, would be right on the fringe of the top 10 if he triumphs.

German Martin Kaymer, currently 11th, needs a top-12 finish to move back into an automatic qualification spot with only two more tournaments to come, and after a 68 he is tied for 20th on 3 under.

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