Play-off victory for Dyson

England’s Simon Dyson earned himself a place in next month’s British Open at Hoylake after a marathon eight-hole play-off.

The 28-year-old, who grabbed his first European Tour title in Indonesia in March, was part of a seven-man play-off for the last four of 18 spots up for grabs in the European qualifier at Sunningdale.

A 90-minute rain delay meant there was no time for the play-off last night, so the players involved returned for a 7am start this morning.

South African Darren Fichardt double-bogeyed the first hole and Italian Alessandro Tadini bogeyed it to drop out, then Ireland's Graeme McDowell and South Africa’s Richard Sterne both made birdies at the third extra hole to go through.

Dyson, Robert Rock and James Hepworth could not be split at the next three holes, but after Rock birdied the seventh Dyson got the better of his fellow Yorkshireman when he sank a six-footer on the eighth after Hepworth had missed from 25ft.

Another 36-hole qualifier involving Lee Westwood, Greg Owen, Justin Rose and Brian Davis was due to have taken place in America yesterday.

However it was postponed for 24 hours and reduced to one round because of weather delays at the US PGA Tour’s Booz Allen Classic.