YORK pro golfer Simon Dyson is among the early players out on course when the BMW International Open tees off this morning.

The Malton & Norton Golf Club star begins his opening round at 8.30am, playing in a group with Laurie Canter and Jamie McLeary at the Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof.

And the six-time European Tour winner will be joined by a host of golf's top names at the prestigious event.

US Masters champion Danny Willett returns to the scene of his maiden triumph in 2012, and is one of three Major winners in the field – along with 2009 US PGA Championship winner YE Yang and 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie.

They are accompanied by two former European number ones, in Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, and Sergio Garcia.

Dyson will be aiming to improve on his tied-110th place finish at the Lyoness Open in Austria earlier this month.