A SOLID start was savoured by York’s Simon Dyson in the penultimate event of the European Tour, writes Tony Kelly.

Dyson carded a healthy two-under-par 68 in the first round of the Hong Kong Open, four shots adrift of the lead held by Spain’s Javi Colomo, and tied for 17th, a mere shot shy of the top ten placings.

The 34-year-old Dyson, right, posted a brace of birdies in both the outward and inward nines, his score only blighted by bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes.

His 68 offers the ideal platform from which to launch a bid to improve his current 65th place in the world rankings to fire back into the top 50 after this week’s tournament in Hong Kong and then the season-ending race to Dubai which starts in just over a fortnight.