Simon Dyson is dreaming of a shock place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team after an impressive opening round at the Johnnie Walker Championship on Thursday.
Dyson continued his late charge for a spot in Colin Montgomerie’s squad for the clash against the US with a four under par 68, which left him in joint seventh place.
To make Europe’s side the 32-year-old Englishman not only has to win the final event, but also Miguel Angel Jimenez has to finish outside the top nine.
Dyson is two shots two behind leader Richard Finch, while Jimenez’s 70 has him outside the top 25.
Twelfth in the US PGA Championship a fortnight ago and fifth at the Czech Open last Sunday, Dyson said: “It’s amazing what your attitude can be like when you know that you have to win. Too often players, including myself, walk into a tournament and think ‘we’ll give it a go, but there’s always next week.’”
“I wouldn’t say I haven’t been enjoying my golf, but not as much as I normally do. And then all of a sudden you hit a bit of form and these last few weeks it’s really kicked in again,” he said. “I’m really having a lot of fun out there, and that’s half the battle really.”
European captain Montgomerie knows what Dyson would bring to his side if he does pull it off this weekend.
“He’s a passionate challenge — up for the challenge and a very bright and sparky character,” Montgomerie said after his own 71, a vast improvement on 79-83 last time out at the final major of the season.
Even if he does win and Jimenez is in the top nine, Dyson would still make it if Swede Peter Hanson, whose victory in the Czech Open last Sunday prompted the Spaniard to enter this week’s event, is worse than 43rd.
Hanson, though, began with a 69, while Jimenez’s compatriot Alvaro Quiros, who like Dyson needs a victory, mixed five birdies with five bogeys for a 72.
Ross McGowan, bothered by a trapped nerve for the past month and before that by knee and wrist problems, withdrew after a 77 that saw him play through the pain barrier.
That means McGowan can’t qualify for the Ryder Cup and gives Italy’s Francesco Molinari an automatic place in the team.
“Unfortunately I won’t be able to make the team now, but I’ve got a few years left in me, so hopefully I’ll make it in a couple of years’ time,” McGowan said. “I’m pretty gutted. I had a great opportunity to make the team after having such a good finish to last year.”
He won the Madrid Masters and then finished second to Lee Westwood in the Dubai World Championship.
Westwood himself is currently resting his torn calf muscle and Europe’s leading Ryder Cup qualifier, out for two weeks already, may not play competitively until the match on October 1-3.
“We are entitled to substitute a player right up until Thursday night [the opening session was yesterday],” Montgomerie said. “If he doesn’t make it — and I am 99 percent certain he will — then it goes down the list he qualified from.”
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