Simon Dyson aiming to secure place in golf’s four Major championships next season (From York Press)

Simon Dyson aiming to secure place in golf’s four Major championships next season

10:34am Wednesday 18th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

THERE are four Major reasons why York-born golf ace Simon Dyson is determined to finish his European Tour season on a high in the Dubai World Championship.

A good display from the 31-year-old in the $7.5 million season-ending spectacular will almost certainly seal his place in each of golf’s four Major championships next season.

A place in the US Masters, and a trip to Augusta, is foremost on the mind of Malton and Norton Golf Club player Dyson, who has never visited the famous Georgia course and is determined to be on the plane there in April.

Dyson, pictured, is in eighth place in the Race To Dubai standings following an impressive eighth place finish in last week’s UBS Hong Kong Open. That pushed him to 44th in the world rankings – with the top 50 on the final rankings for the 2009 calendar year automatically invited to the Masters.

A top 15 spot in the Race To Dubai list would also bring a US Open invitation for the 2010 championships at Pebble Beach, in California, while he is already certain to play in the Open Championship at St Andrews.

The USPGA Championship, held next year at Whistling Straits, usually sees the world’s top 100 players invited and so Dyson is on the verge of playing in all four Majors for the first time in his career.

“If you are in the top world 50 after Dubai you will be in nearly everything – all the Majors,” Dyson said. “The one I haven’t played is the Masters. I have had a couple of chances to go (to Augusta) but I have always said the first time I will go is when I am playing. Hopefully, that will be next year.”

Dyson is encouraged by his form coming into the Dubai World Championship, which begins tomorrow on the Earth Course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. He is paired with Ian Poulter.

“It’s a big week – for everyone,” Dyson added.

“Everyone has got the sense of earning a lot of brass. I thought I played nicely last week to be honest. I got off to a good start and it was just those three holes in the first round that came out of nowhere.

“I missed a very short putt on the second and just took it to the next couple of holes, which I don’t normally do. The way I played the rest of the week was as good as I have played since the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

“I go into this like it is any other tournament. I am not going to build it up.

“It is only a little bigger than the Dunhill, which I won.

“I will go into it thinking it is a normal event and see what happens. If I have a good week it would be great to stay in the top ten in the Order of Merit.

“My best year was 21st, so a top ten finish would be great. I don’t think I can finish out of the top 15 and it would be a bit unlucky if I did, but it would still be a good year.”

Following a 2009 campaign which has brought record prize money and two European Tour titles, the KLM Dutch Open and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, Dyson admitted he has not had much time to reflect on his achievements.

He said: “I spent a day with Jamie Donaldson and we were talking about the Dunhill.

“He said ‘you’ve won one of the biggest events on the calendar’ and there is still a part of me that can’t believe I won it.

“When you look at the players that have won it, it is such a big event.

“When I’ve got a chance to stop – I haven’t really stopped since the tournament except to have a week off – and have a chance to reflect I am sure it will sink in what a great achievement it was.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)