Simon Dyson to lean on his Asian Tour experience at this week’s WGC HSBC Championship
Rising English player Simon Dyson is all set to make it big at this week’s WGC HSBC Championship in China and is hoping to utilize his experience of the Asian Tour events in the past. Having been a professional player for more than a decade, the 33-year-old
boosts exceptional record on the Asian turf and knows just what it takes to rise to the top tackling the notorious windy courses of the tropical world.
Dyson, originally a native of York, England, was on the verge of losing his European Tour card just after turning professional in 1999 and went over to try his luck on the Asian Tour which for some magical reason turned out to be the right decision. Four
out his nine professional victories have come on the Asian Tour and Dyson also went over to lead the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2000.
"It's weird the success I've had out here and it's amazing what it's done for my confidence," said Dyson, who has now gone on to win six times on the European Tour. "Every time I come this way, I feel as if I'm going to play well. And, though I don't want
this to sound big-headed, I have this feeling that everyone else knows."
Dyson turned professional after runners up finish at English Amateur and after winning the Finnish Amateur title but later succumbed to form vows which saw him struggling for the rest of the year. He moved over to the Asian Tour and surprisingly pulled in
stunning performances on the Asian turf winning the Macau Open, Volvo China Open and Omega Hong Kong Open, rising to the top of the Order of Merit.
He returned to his home tour, the European Tour the next year and carried on with his rejuvenated form, winning six times. He remained in the top-100 on the European Tour Order of Merit for a consecutive nine times with an exception in 2003 where fell out
of the top-100.
His first European Tour victory came in 2006, that also on the Asian turf when he won the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open. He won the KLM Open which turned out to be his favourite hunting ground. He has gone over to win the KLM Open for three times in 2006,
2009 and 2011.
The Englishman also broke into the top-50 on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for the first time in September this year when he won the KLM Open again. He surged to his highest ranking top-30 for the first time.
WGC HSBC Championship is scheduled to start this week at the scenic Sheshan International GC, Shanghai, China and has some of the highest ranked players in the field. Dyson will be facing a tough challenge from his countrymen namely Rory McIlroy and Lee
Westwood. World number one Luke Donald is not participating in the event.
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