Simon Dyson aims to dazzle amid stars in Abu Dhabi (From York Press)

Simon Dyson aims to dazzle amid stars in Abu Dhabi

11:50am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Golf

STAR-STUDDED company will include York-born Simon Dyson in the biggest tournament of the European Tour so far.

Dyson today revealed how thrilled he was to be paired for the opening two rounds of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships alongside Ireland’s former US Open champion Graeme McDowell, a close friend on the European Tour, and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, winner of no fewer than 19 European titles.

Tweeted Dyson: “What a great draw for the start of the year – a Spanish legend in Miguel Jimenez and my old pal G-Mac. Can’t wait for that.”

Dyson heads to the Abu Dhabi Championships, which start in the United Arab Emirates tomorrow, in solid form after his first competitive rounds of 2012.

He opened his campaign with an admirable 20th place – tied with last year’s Open champion Darren Clarke – in the Volvo Golf Champions tourney at The Links course in Fancourt, South Africa.

Those four rounds – there was no half-way cut as the event comprised those 35 players who won Euro crowns last year and those with ten or more titles to their credit – earned the 34-year-old a cheque for a shade over 32,000 euros.

But more important for Dyson it kept him at his world best ranking of 28 and put him in fine heart for the Abu Dhabi tournament, where the prize fund totals $2.7 million.

Meanwhile, former world number one Tiger Woods has been paired with current world leader Luke Donald and number three Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, for the opening two rounds.

Woods said the big breakthrough in his comeback was not his win last month, but what came before in Australia.

Woods ended more than two years without a victory at the Chevron World Challenge, but that followed third place at the Australian Open in Sydney and a superb singles win over Aaron Baddeley at the Presidents Cup in Melbourne.

Said Woods: “I certainly did, but I think Australia was probably more.

“I played really well at the Open, then carried on in the Presidents Cup and basically continued that trend in the World Challenge.

“Hopefully I can build on that heading into this year and get ready for Augusta.”

Meanwhile, world number two Lee Westwood, with victories on two of his last three starts, plays alongside defending champion Martin Kaymer, presently ranked four in the world, and Spain’s Sergio Garcia, back to form himself with back-to-back victories in October.