YORK’S Simon Dyson came within a whisker of tearing up the Oceanico Victoria Golf Club in Portugal.

The world number 44 was on course for posting a superb seven-under-par-round at the Vilamoura-based complex only to suffer a late double-bogey six to mar his second day in the Portuguese Masters.

That robbed the North Yorkshire star of a top ten place at the half-way point of the tournament – his first since taking the near £500,000 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland just under a fortnight ago.

However, he went into today’s third round in a still healthy top 25 spot out of a 126-strong field.

After posting a two-under-par 70 in the first round to be seven shots off the opening day leader, Francesco Molinari of Italy, Dyson started to rattle through the Oceanico course with a vengeance.

Starting his round on the tenth hole, Dyson collected no fewer than four birdies on the 12th, 15th, 17th and 18th holes.

His demon touch with the putter continued on his inward nine, where he bagged three birdies in four holes between the second to the fifth.

But then that depressing double-bogey six on the par-four seventh denied him an even better chance of rattling up the fifth European Tour win of his career.

Kirkbymoorside Golf Club member Jonathan Moss has achieved his ambition of playing off a scratch handicap. He is the first member of the club to play off scratch.

Moss – presently studying at Loughborough University – had his handicap reduced to zero after winning the Leicestershire and Rutland Golf Union Champions Tournament.

Moss, of Wrelton, is a former Lady Lumley’s School pupil.