Belly putter gives Dyson gut feeling in Spanish Open (From York Press)

Belly putter gives Simon Dyson gut feeling in Spanish Open

10:02am Saturday 5th May 2012 in Golf By Tony Kelly, Deputy sports editor

A BELLY good finale powered York’s lord of the swing Simon Dyson into second place ahead of today’s third round of the Spanish Open.

Golf’s world number 36 took command of a new belly putter to sink a 12ft putt for an eagle on the ninth hole – his last of the day after starting his second round on the tenth – to propel him a mere shot off half-way leader Gregory Bourdy of France.

Dyson who was on four-under-par after his first day 71 was followed by a 69, was among four players just off the pace set by leader Bourdy.

Said Dyson: “I’ve been struggling with my holing out and just lost a bit of confidence. I’m finding it harder to get the pace now, but I seem to be starting it on line a lot more consistently.”

Dyson made impressive inroads on the outward nine with birdies on the 14th and 16th holes, the latter for a second successive round.

The Malton & Norton Golf Club ace then conceded a shot on the 18th, again just as he did in the first round.

A fine birdie on the first was erased by a dropped shot on the fifth. But then came a towering drive and approach shot on the par-five ninth on the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla course leaving him with his four-yard putt to finish.

The 34-year-old did just that with aplomb, arrowing the ball to the hole before it took a break to the left to lip into the cup for a superb eagle.

Four birdies in the last six holes swept Bourdy into the lead.

Only joint 37th after an opening 73, Bourdy burst to five under par with a brilliant six-under-par 66 and took over at the top from American Shaun Micheel, who crashed to a 77.

The former USPGA champion fell all the way to 19th, leaving Bourdy one in front of Dyson, fellow Englishman Robert Rock, 19-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero and Spain’s Challenge Tour graduate, Jorge Campillo.

It was a bad two days for Colin Montgomerie and Miguel Angel Jimenez, two of the best-known players in the field. Montgomerie crashed out on nine over and fellow 48-year-old Jimenez on 11 over after failing to break 80 for the first time in a tournament celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.