SWING-WING king Simon Dyson is fast becoming a seventies man.

The York-born golf star carded a one-under par 71 at the Emirates Golf Club yesterday – his tenth successive round in the early or mid-70s in all his outings this year on the European Tour.

Dyson’s second-round 71 in the Dubai Desert Classic, allied to his two-under 70 on the first day, left him at three-under at the half-way point, a shot clear of the dreaded cut, though a considerable nine shots adrift of South Africa’s Richard Sterne, who consolidated his one-shot advantage over his nearest chasers.

Dyson’s inward nine was the more profitable yesterday.

In his first nine holes, the world number 74 suffered two bogeys to one birdie.

But coming home he returned six pars and a brace of birdies at the 13th and 18th holes.