Hanson, 15th on the points table, moved closer to securing an automatic spot in Colin Montgomerie’s team by carding a seven-under-par at the Prosper Golf Resort in Celadna.

He requested an invite from the promoters to play the tournament after a strong showing in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

“I left four or five shots out there, but I’m feeling good about my game,” said Hanson, who added a 70 to his opening 67.

The field in Celadna is wide open, with 13 players separated by only two shots — and they include two of the men chasing a Ryder Cup place.

England’s Simon Dyson, one spot below Hanson in the cup race with only one more week to come, is on five-under as he also seeks the win that would take him into the all-important top nine at the expense of Paul Casey.

Widmark is a lowly 1,354th — joint last — on the world rankings after having shoulder surgery and then breaking his wrist falling off a roof.

The 34-year-old made his first halfway cut of the season on the European Tour, catching Hanson with three birdies in his last four holes for a 67.

One behind are Ireland’s Peter Lawrie, who in contrast bogeyed two of the last four, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Argentina’s Clodomiro Carranza and another Swede, Fredrik Andersson Hed.

The incentive for Dyson and Hanson is that Casey, Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald, all of whom could have qualified, are missing next week’s Johnnie Walker Championship, opening the door to the chasing pack.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry is alongside Dyson after a best-of-the-day 64 and Welshman Bradley Dredge would have been as well but for arriving for his round 20 seconds late and being penalised two shots.

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, eighth in the cup standings and another who is not entered for next week, is three-under and English pair Ross McGowan and Oliver Wilson made the cut on level par to keep their fading Ryder Cup hopes alive.

Overnight leader Shiv Kapur of India carded a two-over 74 and remains in the running for the title here as he sits three strokes behind the leaders.