Dyson hits front in St Andrews

England’s Simon Dyson made a dream start and became the man to catch early on the final day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews today.

Dyson, who in his last four starts has had a win, a third and a seventh, birdied four of the first five holes to charge from one behind into a three-stroke lead.

Overnight leader Luke Donald birdied the third – the one hole Dyson did not pick up a shot on over the opening stretch – but bogeyed the next.

Rory McIlroy – joint second with Dyson when he teed off again and partnering his father on his 50th birthday, with the event spilling into an extra day because of Saturday’s gale-force wind – kept his hopes alive by matching Donald’s birdie on the third.

Dyson stood 18 under, with Donald and McIlroy joined on 15 under by both Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara and Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson.

Seven times a runner-up on the European Tour and yet to win, Wilson turned in a four-under 32 and then made an eight-footer on the 10th.