Dyson breaks through with Links victory.SIMON Dyson Simon Dyson (born 21 December 1977 in York, England) is an English golfer. In 1999 Dyson was runner-up in the English Amateur Championship and won the Finnish Amateur title. finally leapt into the big time on the European Tour yesterday - and did it with the round of his life. After two wins in Holland and one in Indonesia since he turned professional a decade ago, the 31-year-old's superb closing 66 swept him to victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (previously simply called the Dunhill Links Championship), is one of the richest golf tournaments on the European Tour. It is played over three links courses in Scotland, with the final round being played on the Old Course at the "Home at St Andrews. Full of jealousy when his great friend Nick Dougherty Nick Dougherty (born in Bootle, Merseyside on 24 May 1982) is an English golfer. He is a protégé of Nick Faldo and had an exceptional amateur career with numerous tournament wins including the 1999 World Boys Championship and three in Faldo Junior Series events. took the same title two years ago, Dyson collected the pounds 485,850 first prize by three strokes from Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy (born May 4, 1989) is a professional golfer from Holywood, Northern Ireland, where he attended Sullivan Upper School. His home golf club is Holywood Golf Club. Amateur career McIlroy was a member of Europe's winning 2004 Junior Ryder Cup team. and Oliver Wilson. It takes the York golfer, who magically birdied six of the first seven holes, top of Europe's Ryder Cup Ryder Cup Biennial team golf event first held in 1927. It was originally played between teams of golfers from the U.S. and Britain; since 1979 players opposing the U.S. have been chosen from all of Europe. The trophy was donated by the British seed merchant Samuel Ryder. points table, into the top 10 on this season's money list and into the world's top 50 for the first time. He began the week 92nd. In August, his second Dutch win came with a course-record closing 63 but, after taking charge with his blistering start and then carefully avoiding disaster, Dyson revised his opinion about the best round of his career. "There's no way this can't be it," he said. "This is like our fifth major, a massive tournament at the home of golf, and I've shot 66 to win it. "I'm absolutely buzzing. Darren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke (born August 14, 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who plays on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. He was born in Dungannon, County Tyrone. He played college golf at Wake Forest University in the United States. has just said to me, 'Take your time and enjoy it - it does not get any better than winning at St Andrews'. "My parents always come up (to the tournament) but couldn't make it this year. They're never coming back!" For Wilson, it was an eighth runners-up finish on the circuit with not one victory to his name as yet but he could not feel disappointed about this one as he shot 65 after starting the day 14th. McIlroy, only one behind Luke Donald Luke Campbell Donald (born December 7, 1977) is an English golfer who plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. overnight, had dearly wanted to win playing alongside his father on his 50th birthday in the celebrity pro-am but he managed "only" a 69. That was still good enough to take the 20-year-old above injured pair Martin Kaymer Martin Kaymer (born December 28 1984) is a German professional golfer. Kaymer was born in Dusseldorf, Germany. Kaymer is currently a member of the European Tour. He played on the Challenge Tour in 2006 and finished 4th on the order of merit list. and Paul Casey This page is about the English golfer. For the Gaelic football player see Paul Casey. Paul Alexander Casey (born 21 July 1977) is an English golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S. based PGA Tour and the European Tour. into top spot on the 'Race to Dubai' standings but he knew the day belonged to Dyson. The former Walker Cup player - he was a team-mate of Casey and Donald at Nairn in 1999 - admits he is a lot more dedicated to his golf than once was the case - not that he regrets enjoying himself on Tour as much as he did in his younger days. "I might have done better but I don't regret one thing that I've done," Dyson continued. "You're travelling the world and you've got to enjoy yourself. "I've still got a lot of time left in my career hopefully - touch wood. I've settled down a lot, I'm the happiest away from the course that I've ever been, and what more do you want?" Dyson knew it could be a special day from his second shot - a pitch to three feet that brought him level with Donald, who with a 73 fell all the way back to seven and still has not won for three-anda-half years. By the eighth tee, Dyson was already four clear - and although McIlroy did cut it back to two by turning in 32 to the winner's 30 that was as close as it got. Dyson added another birdie on the 12th and could afford to bogey the Road Hole 17th. McIlroy ruined his chances of winning by bogeying the 12th, 16th and 17th. But his birdie on the last was huge for the money list battle. Wilson was cursing not finishing one ahead of him, though, after missing a three-foot birdie putt on the last when he was distracted by someone assembling the presentation area behind the green. "I heard him shaking a can before I went to hit it, but then on my backstroke he shook it as loud as he could," he said. "I'm not very happy at the moment. I'd not missed one that short all week, but I guess it's another lesson. "I played with Simon Simon, in the Bible. 1 One of the Maccabees. 2 or Simon Peter: see Peter, Saint. 3 See Simon, Saint. 4 Kinsman of Jesus. 5 Leper of Bethany in whose house a woman anointed Jesus' feet. last week (at the Vivendi Trophy) and this week (for three rounds), and he has not really missed a shot. He's a great lad, upbeat all the time, and has the perfect attitude for golf. "He's also great in the team room, and I'd love to partner him in the Ryder Cup. I think he'll be great there." There is a long way to go before that happens - for both of them - but Dyson has taken a mighty leap towards a debut against the Americans. Scotland's Richie Ramsay, meanwhile, would have finished joint second but for three-putting from the Valley of Sin on the last. Joint fourth, however, secured his Tour card for next season - and he would certainly have taken 10 days ago, having not been in the event until Casey pulled out. FINAL STANDINGS LEADING final round scores & totals in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Scotland (Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72) 268 Simon Dyson 68 66 68 66 271 Rory McIlroy 68 65 69 69, Oliver Wilson 69 67 70 65 272 Richie Ramsay 67 66 70 69, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 68 65 69 273 Ross McGowan 66 68 71 68 274 Luke Donald 72 65 64 73, Darren Clarke 68 68 67 71 275 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 71 68 66, Gary Lockerbie (Penrith) 69 71 67 68, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 71 67 67 70, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 73 67 67 68, Kenneth Ferrie (Ashington) 69 66 69 71, Paul McGinley 69 67 69 70, Lee Westwood 73 67 66 69 276 Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 64 75 65, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 67 68 69 72, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 67 71 68 70 277 Brett Rumford (Aus) 68 71 70 68, Marc Warren 70 69 71 67, David Dixon 68 67 73 69, Simon Khan 74 70 67 66, Graeme Storm (Hartlepool) 69 69 72 67, Michael Hoey 67 66 70 74, Paul Broadhurst 70 67 72 68 278 Richard Bland 72 67 71 68, Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 69 69 71 69, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 70 64 70 74, Graeme McDowell 69 70 68 71, Steven O'Hara 71 66 74 67, Johan Edfors (Swe) 70 68 70 70, Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 72 66 68, James Kamte (Rsa) 69 69 70 70, Sam Little 68 71 67 72, Padraig Harrington 70 70 72 66 THE RACE TO DUBAI LEADING positions in the European Tour 'Race to Dubai' money list: Pos Player Nation Winnings 1 Rory McIlroy N Ireland pounds 1,805,680 2 Martin Kaymer Germany pounds 1,781,846 3 Paul Casey England pounds 1,766,649 4 Lee Westwood England pounds 1,565,985 5 Geoff Ogilvy Australia pounds 1,444,500 6 Ross Fisher England pounds 1,370,372 7 Oliver Wilson England pounds 1,348,039 8 Simon Dyson England pounds 1,247,363 9 Angel Cabrera Argentina pounds 1,245,549 10 Soren Kjeldsen Denmark pounds 1,114,794 CAPTION(S): SKIPPING TO VICTORY Simon Dyson hops off the 13th green at St Andrews on his way to winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. |
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