Dyson’s Thailand success propels him into Cup contention

For as well as finishing the year in a career-high 28th place in the world rankings, the Malton golfer is also riding high on the qualification standings for next September’s Ryder Cup.

Dyson is fourth on the world points list, sandwiched between former US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose.

Jose Maria Olazabal’s European team for the matches at Medinah, Chicago, will comprise of the top five players on the European points list and the top five not already qualified on the world points list.

The selection process ends on August 26 at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, after which Olazabal will add two wild card picks.

A third of the way through the qualifying period, the European team – which has won four of the last five matches against the United States – is already looking very competitive.

As it stands, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy and the Spanish trio of Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Alvaro Quiros and Sergio Garcia would qualify from the European points list with the game’s No 1 and 2 Luke Donald and Lee Westwood joining Dyson, Rose and McDowell from the world list. Dyson, who turns 34 tomorrow, finished fourth in Thailand last weekend to end a year in which he won twice and claimed a second top-10 finish in a major in his career.

Next year’s European Tour schedule will again include just two events in England, one in Wales, one in Ireland and three in Scotland.

The Irish Open, which was won this year by Dyson, switches from late July to the end of June – three weeks before the Open Championship at Royal Lytham – but the venue has yet to be announced.

The BMW PGA Championship retains its place at the end of May.

Meanwhile, Donald can add another accolade to his long list after winning the Golf Writers Trophy for 2011 ahead of joint runners-up Darren Clarke and McIlroy.

“Any award you win gives you a great amount of pleasure and for the golf writers to consider me as their player of the year means a lot, it really does,” said Donald, who won the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

“These are the people who really understand golf and appreciate all that I have achieved this year.

“All the people in the running – Rory, Darren, the Solheim Cup team and the Walker Cup team – would have been worthy winners and therefore it is very gratifying to get the vote ahead of all of them.”