NORTH Yorkshire golf star Simon Dyson was in club class today after a record-breaking round in the Portuguese Open.

Dyson was just one shot off the lead held by fellow Briton Paul Broadhurst, seeking to win his first European Tour event in a decade, and Portugal's Jose-Filipe Lima ahead of today's crunch third round after the York-based ace scorched through the Quinta da Marinha course.

After a disappointing opening round that saw him finish level-par with five bogeys and five birdies to leave him down in joint 29th overnight, the Malton and Norton GC master set a new course record with a blistering 64 on Portugal's Atlantic coast.

That put him on 135 for the two rounds alongside veteran Barry Lane.

Dyson's second round could not have been more different as he kicked off with two birdies, followed up with four pars and then posted an impressive eagle on the 500-yard par-five seventh as part of a storming 30-shot front nine.

The 27-year-old had a chance to create a three-way tie with joint leaders Broadhurst and Lima on eight under but a bogey on the 18th meant he had to settle for joint third in what has been a superb start to his 2005 season after he regained his European Tour card.

Former Heworth professional Neil Cheetham was also well placed going into today's third round. He holed three eagles on his opening round including an impressive three on the 581-yard number eight - the longest on the course.

He did not fare so well yesterday posting a 71, but that left him on 138, joint 16th, and just four shots off the pace before today's action.

York ladies' professional Kirsty Taylor squeezed into the third round of the Thailand Open in Bangkok after rounds of 75 and 74, 11 shy of leaders Shani Waugh (Australia) and China's Yang Hongei.

Updated: 09:06 Saturday, April 02, 2005