Atlantic crossings take a toll as Dyson hits Beach

On the sharp side, the 32-year-old from Malton is revelling in the chance to play among the elite fields at each of the four majors and the four WGC events.

But the blunt edge is the effect it has had on his schedule, and more pertinently, his form.

Since rising to a career-high eighth on the final Order of Merit standings last season and breaking into the top 50 in the world after two victories towards the end of 2009, a career that was in take-off has grounded somewhat.

While the air miles have gone up, his rankings have slipped as he wrestles with the reality that he is no longer just a seasoned European Tour campaigner.

At the mid-point of a season that now stretches all year, he has played only 11 events, after a gamble to base himself in America backfired when sponsors' invites were not forthcoming.

So he has regularly criss-crossed the Atlantic these past few months in search of a bit of form as he tees off in his third US Open today at Pebble Beach.

"My season has been so up and down, having played in America a bit more," said the four-time winner on the European Tour.

"That messed up my schedule. I was playing in the world events one week but because of the enormous time difference between two places I couldn't then hop on a plane and play the next week in Malaysia.

"So there's been times when I've had two or three-week holes in my schedule.

"I always play really well in Asia but this year I haven't been able to play there at all.

"Don't get me wrong, it's great being in these elite fields, but it has been a tough adjustment this year."

Having dropped to No 72 in the world, Dyson knows a couple of strong finishes will see him return to the top 50 which will grant him exemption into the big events again next year.

But therein lies another lesson for the global golfer – peaking at the right time for the big events.

"It's hard to get momentum going into a major, that is something I'm trying to learn, and need to learn," he said.

"Because there's only four of them, if you go into them not playing that well then you can be really punished.

"It's all a learning curve, majors are still relatively new to me."

This is the sixth time he has contested a major in America. Neither of his two previous appearances at the US Open have been lengthy, with Dyson missing the cut by four shots at Bethpage Black last year, and by nine at Pinehurst No 2 in 2005.

He has failed to qualify for the weekend in each of his last four major appearances dating back to a sixth-place finish at the US PGA in 2007, which by a long way, is his best finish in a major.

But despite the scheduling upheavel, his form has been consistent if not spectacular with only one missed cut in

10 strokeplay events, and with

a favourable draw at Pebble Beach alongside American JJ Henry and Alex Cejka (Germany) that does not require him to

be teeing off at the crack of dawn, he feels confident his luck in the majors may be about to turn.

Dyson said: "I know Alex really well so I'll enjoy playing with him, plus it's a nice draw, a couple of decent tee times, when hopefully I'll get the best of the course.

"The last few majors I've had the worst weather you could possibly imagine – it was blowing a gale at Birkdale in 2008 and then at Bethpage last year again the weather was bad and there were four or five shots difference between the morning and afternoon starters.

"So a lot of it sometimes can come down to the luck of the draw.

"I couldn't have picked two harder US Opens to play in than at Bethpage and Pinehurst.

"You won't play a tougher

golf course in the world than either of those two, so, hopefully, having played those, it stands me in better stead this week."

Dyson arrived in southern California on Sunday to allow himself ample time to prepare for what, thanks to the tight fairways and high rough characteristic of the USGA, is traditionally the most testing of the majors.

But where last year he described Bethpage Black as a 'monster', his opinion of the iconic Pebble Beach is more favourbale.

"It's the best course I've ever played," he said after a practice round with Paul Casey, another of the 13 Englishmen competing this week.

"I played 18 holes with Aaron Baddeley this morning and it's probably the most enjoyable 18 holes I've ever played. The beauty of the course is ridiculous.

"In the par-three seventh and the par-five 18th you have two of the most famous holes in all of golf, but also, two of the most deadly."