ON a day of low scoring, York’s Simon Dyson hung on by his fingernails to prompt a resilient drive for major honours in the DP World Tour Championship.

Like on the first day of the closing tournament to the European Tour season, Dyson, pictured, carded a three-under 69.

Going into today’s third round that put him in joint 23rd place, five shots adrift of the three leaders – world number one Rory McIlroy, world number two Luke Donald and Scotland’s Marc Warren.

The Malton & Norton Golf Club star’s second crack at the Earth Course in Dubai started, also like the first day, with a birdie on the opening 454-yard par-four.

He collected another two shots in the outward nine at five and six, but marred his card with a bogey on the fourth hole.

Five straight pars followed to then be bettered by birdies on the 12th and the 14th, which at one stage had the world number 68 in seventh place.

But hopes of a top-ten placing by the midway point were shattered when he took a four on the par-three 17th for a second consecutive 69.Dyson will have to show even better birdie-blasting form over the next two days if he is to improve his end of season ranking to the top 64, giving him entry to next year’s lucrative World Golf Championship series, and top 50 for an automatic place in all four majors for 2013.

Meanwhile, McIlroy overcame what he thinks was a touch of sunstroke.

The Irishman shot a second round 67 to go 11 under alongside Donald and Scot Warren.

“I got off the course (on the first day) and had a really sore head and a fever,” said McIlroy. “I think it was a bit of sunstroke.

“I took a few things and felt better, but I’m not feeling great again. The sun’s taking it out of me a bit.”

Overnight leader Donald had a 68, while playing partner Warren – 189th in the world – matched McIlroy’s round.

Earlier Sergio Garcia shot one of golf’s most remarkable course records – two eagles, nine birdies, two bogeys and a triple-bogey seven.

It all added up to a second round 64, eight under par, and from 49th place after his initial 73 he was back in contention at seven under.