EAST was best for Simon Dyson who roared past the midway cut and into an outside chance of honours in the East Africa Open.

The York ace was back to the sort of scintillating form that graced his first two rounds of the Joburg Open a week ago before he suffered a final day collapse.

No fewer than seven birdies were bagged by the 38-year-old in yesterday’s second round to rescue a parlous position after his first day three-over par 75.

The second round at the East London club began inauspiciously with a dropped shot on the second hole, repeating the dismal feat of Thursday.

But the world number 148 shook off that setback in superb fashion.

Four birdies, including three on the spin followed over the next five holes. From then on the Malton & Norton Golf Club star never looked back.

After seven successive pars, Dyson improved his score with three more shots after birdying both the 15th and 16th holes and then finishing with a welcome flourish after he collected another birdie on the last hole to rack up a six-under-par 66 and put him on three-under at the half-way juncture.

While that left him eight shots shy of overnight leader Matt Ford from Maidstone, Dyson’s sudden upswing in fortunes elevated him more than 60 places to be tied for 37th position.

Harrogate-based John Parry, meanwhile, moved into even healthier contention.

He followed his first day 68 with a three-under-par 69 that gave the Knaresborough GC man a share of seventh spot with four other players.

Parry started yesterday’s round on the tenth and posted three birdies on the outward nine.

His next birdie was on the fourth only for him to dip slightly when he dropped a shot on the last of his inward nine, the ninth hole.

Overnight leader Ford shot a five-under 67 on the opening day and went one better no thanks to an eagle two at the par-four 12th, allied to six birdies and one bogey on the penultimate hole.