DYSON CLEANS UP AGAIN AT THE KLM OPEN
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Simon Dyson continued his sensational form and rekindled his love affair with the Netherlands with a third victory at the KLM Open.
The Englishman, a winner at Kennemer in 2006 and 2009, fired a closing 66 at Hilversumsche to finish 12 under for the week, one ahead of David Lynn and two clear of Rory McIlroy.
Dyson’s win came after he birdied four of his last seven holes, and takes him level with legends Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer as the only players to win the event three times.
"I'm absolutely delighted to be on the same trophy as names like those two,” he said.
"It's something special, a dream come true really. To win any title once is tough, but to win it three times is a fantastic feeling.
"I started a bit shakily - my timing was just a little bit off - but after my bogey on 11 I played pretty flawless golf."
This was the Irish Open champion’s seventh top-ten finish of the season and consolidates his position in the top ten of The Race to Dubai. The 33 year old also moves to just outside the top 30 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
For much of the day Gary Orr looked on course to end his 11 year wait for a third European Tour title as he moved two shots clear.
The Scot, playing on a medical exemption after being plagued by back problems last season, claimed both his previous victories back in 2000.
Sharing the lead overnight with South African James Kingston, the event was blown wide open when both dropped a shot at the first after overnight rain had delayed the final round by an hour.
Dyson’s challenge started well with a wedge approach to four feet at the second setting up a first birdie, only for a bogey at the fourth to set him back.
Orr made a number of clutch putts to save par, but found trouble on the ninth when he hooked his approach into thick rough down the left and dropped to ten under.
Lynn – whose only European Tour victory in 350 starts came in this event back in 2004 – went 11 holes without picking up a shot but was suddenly right back in it when he eagled the 12th from ten feet to be only one behind.
With the leaders still tightly bunched, Dyson made a decisive move courtesy of some sensational iron play, birdieing the 12th, striking his tee shot at the 13th within two feet, and completing a hattrick of gains with an approach to four feet at the 14th.
That run took him into the lead for the first time and a four iron to 20 feet at the par five last set up another birdie, leaving Lynn and Orr two behind with three to play.
And while Lynn birdied the last, neither could prevent Dyson walking away with the €300,000 winner’s cheque.
“The big turning point for me was 13,” said Dyson. “I hit a good six iron, just pitched on the right hand side of the green, and got a really good bounce and just trickled down to about a foot.
“And that was a big turning point, because after, that I played some lovely golf. I hit a good shot into four feet on 14. A good shot into 15, and made a good two putt on 16.
“I gave myself a chance at 17 and then hit a beautiful four iron into the last.”
US Open Champion McIlroy goes back to third in the Official World Golf Ranking with his third place finish, while Orr’s 71 left him fourth and World Number Two Lee Westwood came fifth.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70). Prizemoney in Euros
268 Simon Dyson (England) 65 66 71 66 (300,000).
269 David Lynn (England) 67 68 68 68 (200,000.
270 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 70 65 68 67 (112,680).
271 Gary Orr (Scotland) 68 66 66 71 (90,000)
272 Lee Westwood (England) 70 66 70 66 (78,320).
OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
275 Paul Lawrie 71 68 68 68, Richie Ramsay 70 65 69 71 (T16) (21,900 each).
281 David Drysdale 70 67 70 75 (T56) (5,688).
284 Lloyd Saltman 70 68 74 72, Marc Warren 68 70 75 71 (T68) (3,900).
293 Alastair Forsyth 68 71 78 76 (75th) (£2,697).
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Simon Dyson continued his sensational form and rekindled his love affair with the Netherlands with a third victory at the KLM Open.
The Englishman, a winner at Kennemer in 2006 and 2009, fired a closing 66 at Hilversumsche to finish 12 under for the week, one ahead of David Lynn and two clear of Rory McIlroy.
Dyson’s win came after he birdied four of his last seven holes, and takes him level with legends Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer as the only players to win the event three times.
"I'm absolutely delighted to be on the same trophy as names like those two,” he said.
"It's something special, a dream come true really. To win any title once is tough, but to win it three times is a fantastic feeling.
"I started a bit shakily - my timing was just a little bit off - but after my bogey on 11 I played pretty flawless golf."
This was the Irish Open champion’s seventh top-ten finish of the season and consolidates his position in the top ten of The Race to Dubai. The 33 year old also moves to just outside the top 30 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
For much of the day Gary Orr looked on course to end his 11 year wait for a third European Tour title as he moved two shots clear.
The Scot, playing on a medical exemption after being plagued by back problems last season, claimed both his previous victories back in 2000.
Sharing the lead overnight with South African James Kingston, the event was blown wide open when both dropped a shot at the first after overnight rain had delayed the final round by an hour.
Dyson’s challenge started well with a wedge approach to four feet at the second setting up a first birdie, only for a bogey at the fourth to set him back.
Orr made a number of clutch putts to save par, but found trouble on the ninth when he hooked his approach into thick rough down the left and dropped to ten under.
Lynn – whose only European Tour victory in 350 starts came in this event back in 2004 – went 11 holes without picking up a shot but was suddenly right back in it when he eagled the 12th from ten feet to be only one behind.
With the leaders still tightly bunched, Dyson made a decisive move courtesy of some sensational iron play, birdieing the 12th, striking his tee shot at the 13th within two feet, and completing a hattrick of gains with an approach to four feet at the 14th.
That run took him into the lead for the first time and a four iron to 20 feet at the par five last set up another birdie, leaving Lynn and Orr two behind with three to play.
And while Lynn birdied the last, neither could prevent Dyson walking away with the €300,000 winner’s cheque.
“The big turning point for me was 13,” said Dyson. “I hit a good six iron, just pitched on the right hand side of the green, and got a really good bounce and just trickled down to about a foot.
“And that was a big turning point, because after, that I played some lovely golf. I hit a good shot into four feet on 14. A good shot into 15, and made a good two putt on 16.
“I gave myself a chance at 17 and then hit a beautiful four iron into the last.”
US Open Champion McIlroy goes back to third in the Official World Golf Ranking with his third place finish, while Orr’s 71 left him fourth and World Number Two Lee Westwood came fifth.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70). Prizemoney in Euros
268 Simon Dyson (England) 65 66 71 66 (300,000).
269 David Lynn (England) 67 68 68 68 (200,000.
270 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 70 65 68 67 (112,680).
271 Gary Orr (Scotland) 68 66 66 71 (90,000)
272 Lee Westwood (England) 70 66 70 66 (78,320).
OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
275 Paul Lawrie 71 68 68 68, Richie Ramsay 70 65 69 71 (T16) (21,900 each).
281 David Drysdale 70 67 70 75 (T56) (5,688).
284 Lloyd Saltman 70 68 74 72, Marc Warren 68 70 75 71 (T68) (3,900).
293 Alastair Forsyth 68 71 78 76 (75th) (£2,697).
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, September 11, 2011
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