Dyson delighted as he rediscovers form with 69 on 'big stage'

SIMON DYSON was content with the start of his Open challenge but fears it may require gale force winds to blow Rory McIlroy off course.

The Ulsterman surged to the top of the leaderboard in benign conditions at St Andrews yesterday with a major record-equalling round of 63.

Yorkshire's Dyson is six shots back after an opening 69, his best Open score, left him among a host of big name challengers.

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But as a player who knows both St Andrews and McIlroy well, having held off the world No 9's challenge to lift the Alfred Dunhill Links title at the 'Home of Golf' last year, he knows the weather coming in off the North Sea could have a huge say over the next three days.

"Rory is catchable because links golf depends on the weather," said Malton's Dyson, 32.

"Nine under might still be the winning score come Sunday if the wind gets up again.

"But if the weather stays like it is, with the form Rory has shown recently in France and with his win in America, he will only build on that score and he could prove hard to catch."

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Dyson was up with the early birds in the fourth group out shortly after 7am yesterday and slipped with a bogey on the second hole.

He responded with five birdies to reach four under and thought he would improve on that on the 16th as he watched his approach shot arrow in on the flagstick. The ridge at the front of the green was waiting, however, and his ball took off in the opposite direction of the cup and resulted in him three-putting.

He parred in from there to keep alive a challenge that resumes at 12.14pm today.

"I'm happy, I played really nicely," said Dyson, who last made the cut at a major at the 2007 US PGA, when he converted a steady opening into a sixth-place finish with a final-round 64.

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"It was an easy 69 and should have been a bit better. But this golf has been coming for a while now and it's nice that it's come together on such a big stage.

"With a bit of luck I can keep it going over the rest of the tournament.

"A 69 puts me in the middle of the pack. It was a good day for scoring but you can only play yourself out of a tournament on day one.

"I'm going to have to score low in round two but at the moment I'm pleased with where I am."

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Leading Englishman is Kent's Steve Tiley whose biggest claim to fame in his three-year professional career was winning the Egyptian Open eight months ago.

The 27-year-old from Herne Bay had a bogey-free first-round 66 to leap into a share of third place alongside the likes of 1995 Open champion John Daly.

His only other Open appearance, as an amateur, ended after rounds of 71 and 76 saw him miss the cut at Troon in 2004.

He banked 20,000 by winning the Challenge Tour event in Cairo last November, an event in which Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie finished fifth.

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"This is a different league to winning the Egyptian Open," he said. "I played well and I just have to do the same (today).

"There is obviously going to be a bit more pressure and a few more people watching but if it is pre-determined, if you are meant to play well, you play well."