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EmailSoren Hansen is facing some of the best players in the world this week in Miami, but his biggest challenge will come next Friday when the Dane, who lives in Monaco, will plead his case on tax evasion charges to a Danish court.
Hansen, 35, was charged with misreporting earnings from 2000 to ’06, stemming from his claim that he resided in Monaco and not Denmark, his country of birth.
“Why is this important?” Hansen asked after originally providing no comment to a small group of reporters. “I’ve not had a chance to explain myself at all, and that’s what I’m going to do in court in a few weeks.”
The Public Prosecutor for Serious Economic Crime charged Hansen in August last year while Hansen was playing in Akron at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Since then, the Dane has not won but recorded seven top-10s, including a third-place finish last week at the Maybank Malaysian Open.
“I wouldn’t say it impacted me that much,'' Hansen said. "I’ve played the Ryder Cup. I’ve won golf tournaments. I’ve played well this week. I know I’m on the good side.”
Hansen is on the hook for 9.6 million kroner ($1.75 million) and possibly an additional 10 million kroner penalty if he were to be found guilty.
Hansen will put the clubs up after this week and head to Denmark next week for his Friday court date.
He still plans to play the Masters, if all goes well.
