Yorkshire golf trio eye Wentworth tonic
Among the stellar cast at the European Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth are three Yorkshiremen all hoping to give their summer some much-needed impetus.
Simon Dyson, Richard Finch and Danny Willett all tee off at the BMW PGA Championship today in need of a tonic.
Dyson has had a stop-start season since his two victories late last year elevated him into a career-high finish of eighth on the money list.
His ascenscion brought the reward of a place in the field at all four majors and the WGC events for the first time, and to assist him in his preparation for those, he chose to base himself in America on the PGA Tour.
That decision backfired somewhat with a failure to induce sponsors invites that resulted in the momentum he generated at the back end of 2009 being checked.
On the eve of his Masters debut he confided that he would be heading back to Europe to try and regain that belief, but even that has not been plain sailing with an encouaging 17th place in Spain for the 32-year-old from Malton countered by a withdrawal from the Italian Open two weeks ago with a sore back.
Dyson has dropped to No 69 in the world from a career-high 46 at the turn of the year. He is still clinging however to a place in Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup team - he is eighth on the points list from which nine qualify automatically - but with 15 weeks to go and a host of household names like Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and Ross Fisher on the outside looking in, Dyson needs some big results in the top tournaments this summer to secure a debut at Celtic Manor.
Finch’s ambitions are rather more modest as he enters an event - which includes five of the world’s top 10 - at which he has never made the cut.
After a fallow 2009 following his breakthrough, double-win year in 2008, the Hull pro has rediscovered a little form with second-place finishes in India and Andalucia. He sits 33rd on the Race to Dubai standings.
“I’m pleased with the start I’ve made,” said Finch, who will have to qualify at Sunningdale on June 7 if he is to make the field at the Open for the third year running.
“But it will be nice to kick-on, especially with a lot of big events this summer.”
And Rotherham’s Willett makes his PGA Championship debut this week on the back of a solid start to the season, with three top 10s in 11 tournaments and only two missed cuts.
But with fellow rising stars Rhys Davies and Chris Wood making big impressions, the PGA represents the perfect opportunity for the 22-year-old to underline his potential with a defining result.
One man sure to revel in the Wentworth atmosphere without worrying about the consequences on his career, is Dore and Totley professional Neil Cheetham, who represents PGA North region in what is his fourth PGA appearance in the last seven years.
Cheetham, 42, who divides his time between Britain and South Africa where he comfortably retained his card last year, said: “I’m looking forward to playing Wentworth again.”
Simon Dyson, Richard Finch and Danny Willett all tee off at the BMW PGA Championship today in need of a tonic.
Dyson has had a stop-start season since his two victories late last year elevated him into a career-high finish of eighth on the money list.
His ascenscion brought the reward of a place in the field at all four majors and the WGC events for the first time, and to assist him in his preparation for those, he chose to base himself in America on the PGA Tour.
That decision backfired somewhat with a failure to induce sponsors invites that resulted in the momentum he generated at the back end of 2009 being checked.
On the eve of his Masters debut he confided that he would be heading back to Europe to try and regain that belief, but even that has not been plain sailing with an encouaging 17th place in Spain for the 32-year-old from Malton countered by a withdrawal from the Italian Open two weeks ago with a sore back.
Dyson has dropped to No 69 in the world from a career-high 46 at the turn of the year. He is still clinging however to a place in Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup team - he is eighth on the points list from which nine qualify automatically - but with 15 weeks to go and a host of household names like Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and Ross Fisher on the outside looking in, Dyson needs some big results in the top tournaments this summer to secure a debut at Celtic Manor.
Finch’s ambitions are rather more modest as he enters an event - which includes five of the world’s top 10 - at which he has never made the cut.
After a fallow 2009 following his breakthrough, double-win year in 2008, the Hull pro has rediscovered a little form with second-place finishes in India and Andalucia. He sits 33rd on the Race to Dubai standings.
“I’m pleased with the start I’ve made,” said Finch, who will have to qualify at Sunningdale on June 7 if he is to make the field at the Open for the third year running.
“But it will be nice to kick-on, especially with a lot of big events this summer.”
And Rotherham’s Willett makes his PGA Championship debut this week on the back of a solid start to the season, with three top 10s in 11 tournaments and only two missed cuts.
But with fellow rising stars Rhys Davies and Chris Wood making big impressions, the PGA represents the perfect opportunity for the 22-year-old to underline his potential with a defining result.
One man sure to revel in the Wentworth atmosphere without worrying about the consequences on his career, is Dore and Totley professional Neil Cheetham, who represents PGA North region in what is his fourth PGA appearance in the last seven years.
Cheetham, 42, who divides his time between Britain and South Africa where he comfortably retained his card last year, said: “I’m looking forward to playing Wentworth again.”
Labels: Danny Willett, pga championship, Richard Finch, Simon Dyson, wentworth
posted by Nick Westby at 6:20 PM
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