No longer ‘sick of golf’ Dyson well-rested for KLM Open title defence

SIMON DYSON will begin the defence of his KLM Open title in confident mood today, despite admitting he was “sick of golf” just a fortnight ago.

Dyson played an amazing 62 tournaments in the last two years and was the only player in the top 50 on the Order of Merit to play more than 30 last season. European number one Padraig Harrington made 20 appearances on the European Tour and seventh-placed Luke Donald just 13 in comparison to Dyson’s 31.

Such a hectic schedule had its rewards, with victories in Indonesia and Holland and prize money of more than €1million — but it finally took its toll after he missed the cut in the European and Scottish Opens and failed to qualify for the Open at Carnoustie in July.

“I was sick of golf to be honest,” admitted the 29-year-old from York. “I was playing a lot and couldn’t find any enthusiasm for the game. I couldn’t be bothered and wasn’t playing that well.

“So I took some time off. I put the clubs away for two weeks and didn’t touch them and then practiced in the third week.

“I tend to play and play and play but it shows what benefit the three weeks off did for me.”

That benefit was a superb sixth place in the USPGA Championship on his return to action at Southern Hills, courtesy of a closing round of 64.

“The first three rounds I played nicely but didn’t score that great, then it all just clicked on the last day. I played the best golf I ever have, without a doubt.

“When I finished everyone was saying ‘great round’ and it felt like I had won something.”

In keeping with his work ethic Dyson went straight from Oklahoma to Stockholm for last week’s Scandinavian Masters and finished a creditable 23rd at Arlandastad.

Former US Open champion Michael Campbell will partner Dyson in the first two rounds, while Germany’s Bernhard Langer returns to action after several weeks out due to kidney stones.

Langer was forced to pull out of the Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship in Hamburg after being rushed to hospital on the eve of the event but was determined to play in Holland alongside his 17-year-old son Stefan.

Stefan caddied for his father when he partnered Marcel Siem to victory in the World Cup in Barbados last December, but this will be the first time they have lined up against one another on the European Tour.

It will also be the first father and son to play in the same event on European soil since Craig and Kevin Stadler competed in the 2002 Omega European Masters in Switzerland.