EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: European PGA Tour Pro Simon Dyson
Posted by Sport.co.uk on: 25 February 2011 - 15:04
Author: Nigel Brown
Golfer Simon Dyson is as honest as beef dripping on bread and a pint of hand-pulled real ale – a description the likes of which any Yorkshireman should be proud. It makes a refreshing change in a modern world where sports stars and their agents, take note Wayne Rooney, are seemingly able to hold everyone to ransom. With a higher moral code than your average bean counter, and an outlook on golf and life that makes him a credit to his sport, Dyson really is the best of British.
Tracked down on a frosty February morning as he walked his dog in Manchester, Sport.co.uk consider themselves lucky to talk to a man whose busy schedule rarely affords him a chance to relax with his wife Lyndsey, with whom he tied the knot in December. Affable to the last, on learning one’s own wedding is on the horizon ‘Dyse’ started by passing on some tried and tested advice about the big day.
“Enjoy it son. The one bit of advice that somebody gave me which I wished I had listened to, was, every hour, sit back and take it all in, because it just goes so fast. You have to enjoy it. I loved it!”
THE YORKSHIRE PHILOSOPHER
His wise words for a worried groom fall very much in line with the former Asian Tour Order of Merit winner’s golfing philosophy; he is optimistic, passionate, open, and has a deep rooted love for the ancient game. Moreover, despite ten years on Tour, his willingness to keep learning speaks volumes.
Dyson lets rip of the tee
Having burst onto the European landscape in 2000 Dyson has now finished in the top 100 Order of Merit on seven occasions, and after winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the ‘Home of Golf’ St. Andrews in 2009, he broke into the world’s top 50, finishing 8th in the race to Dubai. Pretty impressive, but it could have been oh so different had he decided to take up a different ball game…
“I was training with York City football club, but every time I was on the pitch I just wanted to be on the golf course.” Dyson explains about his childhood years on the football pitch.
“The golf always took priority. My Uncle played for the double winning Tottenham Hotspur side in 1960/61, he was the number 11, a tricky winger, Terry Dyson his name – good player. I’m not a Spurs fan though, but I always look out for them. I don’t really have the time to follow anyone.”
Football’s loss is very much golf’s gain. In spite of a strong finish to 2010 he was unable to clinch a Ryder Cup place, which should have been the perfect tonic to a successful and consistent two years on Tour. Unfortunately, an honest Dyson admits he didn’t have that pretty little blonde on his arm - lady luck.
“I wanted to play in it. Obviously! I was quite proud how close I got. I had a month to make it, I finished 14th at the USPGA, 5th in the Czech Republic, and I always say with golf you need a bit of luck at the right time to win a golf tournament; the four that I have won in Europe I needed some luck, and I simply didn’t get it, I knew after nine holes in would take some doing to win it.
“The following week I played really good. I was playing with Edouardo Molinari on the Saturday, who went on to win it in fantastic fashion. You always need that little bit of luck. For example on the 16th, he hit a 3-wood onto the green in two. He clipped the bunker on the way and it finished a foot from the water. And then he knocks it on and holes a put for a four.
“If that hadn’t happened you never know how he would react, instead he is walking on to the 17th tee full of confidence and absolutely buzzing. But that is the sport. That is why we love it.”
THE NEW BREED
Plying his trade on the European Tour, Dyson has witnessed the emergence of a new breed of super-charged nubiles who can hit the ball straighter and further than ever before.
This fresh generation of sluggers have been brought up watching the emergence of the sport’s most dominant beast, Tiger Woods, embodying power, strength, and importantly length off the tee. These fledgling stars were only children when Woods burst onto the scene in 1997, but the new kids on the block certainly enjoy driving for show, and the worry is they can put for doe too. On this side of the Atlantic the new crop, led by Rory McIlroy, have set about clipping Tiger’s claws and unsettling the pack.
Younger and longer...Mcilroy leads the new breed
“Rory is the most impressive of the lot, by a long way, in my opinion.” Dyson giddily insists.
“You also have Mannasero, a lovely lad, who is a tidy player. He is straight, gets on with it, and is a good putter. I haven’t seen enough of Rickie Fowler in the USA, but the signs look good for him as well.”
The standout performer is certainly the Northern Irishman. One look at his statistics from last year bears witness to his potency on the course. On average McIlroy averaged 301.33 yards with his driver, hit 73.49 percentage of greens in regulation, and averaged 29.37 putts each round. All this and he is still only 21-years-old.
“Rory just hits it so far, and so high. If you can do that, there isn’t really a course you cannot play.” Dyson explains, before revealing the X-factor that allows McIlroy to compete at golf’s top table.
“The best thing he has in his armor is his temperament. His temperament is unbelievable for such a young lad. He is very similar to Lee Westwood in that respect. When Lee walks down a fairway you won’t know if he is four under, or four over. That is the same with Rory. Where as with me, I wear my heart on my sleeve….you can tell if I am six under or ten over. But that’s just me!”
Dyson: A committed competitor
When discussing Mcilroy Dyson laughs off the question of ever offering advice to the Northern Irishman. In fact, the veteran golfer believes he can learn from the starlet, despite being 12 years his senior.
“I mean what advice can you give Rory? He has already reached World Number 6, and the highest I ever got is 42. So he is the one giving me advice to be honest.
“There is nothing I can say. He has played in Europe, America, performed in Majors and played and won a Ryder Cup. I mean the only thing left for him to do is win the Order of Merit (he was runner-up two years ago) and win a Major. Plus he has God knows how many years to do it in.”
The new generation of golf’s stars have made their impact felt, and while Rory is a leading light Dyson reserves some time to praise the Italian duo of Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, while German Martin Kaymer is also, in Dyson’s eyes, a “phenomenon.”
“Edoardo and Francesco are so funny, because they are like chalk and cheese. Dodo is like me, fiery and gives it the fist punch. And Francesco is exactly the opposite; he is the most laid back Italian I have ever met. We are both with Nike, and we went out to Dallas for two days, and they are both great company and they really opened up.
“They are just great characters. They are both good players, but Francesco interests me a lot. He has something. Martin Kaymer is also the one. I mean looking at European golf it is in really good hands. What is he? 23, he is phenomenal.”
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY…
While golfers are very much rewarded for their achievements, Dyson is acutely aware of how football’s finances have, in comparison, been criticized for rewarding not just the success stories but also the mediocre and underperforming. The straight-talking Englishman thinks the men who run football in the United Kingdom could learn a lot from how golf, and other performance based sports allocate money. For Dyson, the players hold too many cards in the world of the so-called beautiful game.
“The wages in football are quite obscene to be honest. We injure ourselves we don’t get a penny. They injure themselves, and they still get what they are contracted to. I honestly believe every sport should be performance related. I mean you have tennis, snooker, golf – tennis and golf both have it right because it is performance related. Football is out of control because it is a player run business with the clubs and fans having no say in what any of the stars should be paid.
"I swear...they are prescription."
“With us, the tournaments are on the schedule, you know what the prize money is, and if you play it, you play it, if you don’t, you don’t. Then in golf we have the Ryder Cup, no money, just pure passion.”
PGA TOUR OR EUROPEAN TOUR? THAT IS THE QUESTION
Afforded the chance to test and better themselves away from the European Tour, a number of players, including Justin Rose and Paul Casey, have opted to switch to the PGA Tour in America. Despite reportedly hindering their chances of picking up the wild cards spots for last year’s Ryder Cup, it appears the change, compared by Dyson to moving clubs during football’s transfer window, is an attractive option for many of the continent’s top golfers.
“I understand it. It is [about] challenging yourself. After playing in Europe for all those years, you then get the opportunity to test yourself in America.” Dyson explains.
“You are obviously going to do it because it is a fresh challenge. Instead of going to the Paris National, or Loch Lomond, or Madrid like you have done for the last ten years, instead you got to America, play new courses and face new challenges. It can only be good. It is just like a footballer moving club.
“I have to be honest, if I had the opportunity I would jump at it. Last year I broke into the top 50 and I got to play a little bit out there, but they were very sparse tournaments in time frame. I would play in Phoenix, have three weeks off, then come back and play at Augusta, and so on.
“The only way I would cross the Atlantic permanently is if I won tournaments and got my card properly, I would then buy a place out there, because it is so cheap, somewhere near where all the boys have a spot.
“Half the European tour members have got houses out there, so it would be good fun. I don’t think I would go to Tour school and do it that way. I would want to do it properly. I would want to earn it.”
GARCIA PROVES IT ISN’T ALWAYS EASY
While Dyson is keen to test himself, he is sympathetic to the likes of David Duval and more recently Sergio Garcia, who both took time away from golf to reassess their careers. Speaking specifically about the Spaniard, who has had a difficult 18 months, Dyson continued:
“There is always a point in a golfers career when you have to take time out. I mean Sergio has been on tour since he was 17. People need to think about the miles he has travelled and the lack of time at home. I think you get to a point where you think I would love four or five months at home with the family.
“Don’t get me wrong it is a great life, but it is like anything. If you do it too much you will get sick of it. People don’t always realise the amount of travelling you have to do. You get home Sunday night and you are immediately packing for the next week without having time to put your feet up.
“I try to get home Sunday night, un-pack, then re-pack, and try and do nothing Monday and book the earliest flight in the Tuesday so I can spend some time with my wife and dog. But even when you do that, the Monday goes so fast.
“To be honest the next few tournaments in Sicilly, and on to Morocco, I will not be home for three weeks. The longest I have had at home since August is four weeks. People don’t always understand the schedule.”
Dyson’s willingness to experience the ‘American Dream,’ and understanding of the stresses and strains of the schedule, comes as no surprise given his favourite golfer to watch is David Love III. While also crediting Sir Nick Faldo as a hero, it was the sultry swing, studious nature, but ultimately laid back manner of Davis Love III that inspired the Yorkshireman.
“My favourite golfer of all time is David Love III. I can’t put my finger on why, but I just thought – ‘you are pretty cool.’ I mean he was sponsored by Ralph Lauren, had a great golfing brain, he hit it a mile, and he was so smooth. I met him a few years ago and he is such a nice guy, a really lovely guy.”
And when it comes to sharing the course with a current competitor Dyson’s ideal four-ball would be complete with best mate Jamie Donaldson, and the game raising South African, Ernie Els.
“The one guy I really enjoy playing with is Ernie Els. He just rubs off on you on the golf course. His swing is so smooth, he is so relaxed, you start to raise your game. Everything about him, even his putting stroke is so smooth. You start to raise your game…plus he is a nice bloke as well.
“To play with banter-wise is probably my best mate Jamie Donaldson. He is dedicated but he is also the funniest guy I have ever met. He is great fun to play a round with.”
Dyson has made great strides in the last two years to break into the top 50 in the world and compete for the big money, but the English lion heart realises he must retain focus as he faces a tough few weeks ahead with the Sicilian Open, Open de Andalucía, and Trophee Hassan II in Morocco.
“It was a shame the last four weeks have had to come to an end. I felt I was starting to find my feet and get a bit of confidence back in my game. After Christmas and New Year I was bit ring rusty ahead of Bahrain and Dubai. My game was still there, but it is your short game where you lose it.
“You just lose your touch around the greens. But I played better in Qatar, and in Dubai I felt my all round game was good, I was playing solid, with my end game being very good, plus I holed some puts. But, then I had another few weeks off. After this you get into more of a rhythm with more regular competition golf.”
For many golfers on the European Tour the announcement that Jose Maria Olazabal will captain Europe when the Ryder Cup visit the Medinah Country Club in 2012 has already signified the start of the race to be involved. Despite the excitement, Dyson warns that players can be broken by the pursuit of involvement in golf’s most prestigious team event.
“I mean when the Ryder Cup comes along again, and I am there, or thereabouts, then great. But I have seen so many people forget about their game and concentrate on the Ryder Cup, and it just destroys them and they start missing cuts.
“If you concentrate on your own game you hope the performances come. I didn’t win a tournament last year, so that is my aim this year. I was close in Hong Kong but it wasn’t meant to be.”
Winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2009
THE FUTURE
Dyson is the consummate professional, but also a vivid realist. He loves married life, the game of golf and relishes the increased competition on Tour. But it is clear that the Englishman has lofty ambitions to play in the Ryder Cup, win a Major and possibly compete in America on the PGA Tour. Could it happen? You just get the feeling that this fervent Yorkshireman has the fiery passion that could bring that little bit of luck needed to go onto great things in the future.
Still in his early thirties time is very much on his side, and I, for one, hope he has that bit of luck, as it would be great to see one of Jorvik’s children lift a title on the world stage. If it doesn’t happen, his cheeky humour, honest virtues, and fighting spirit will bring entertainment and valor to the game of golf for years to come.