Simon Dyson has won the KLM Open twice before
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Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy will all be looking to slice into Luke Donald's advantage at the top of the Race to Dubai standings during this week's KLM Open which, with three of the world's top four present, boasts the strongest field in its history.
Kaymer is the defending champion at the event and, having challenged for the title at the European Masters last week, is enthusing about the state of his game, with a raft of tweaks to his swing now beginning to pay off.
"If definitely feels like I will win again in the next couple of weeks," Kaymer said. "I'm hitting the ball very well. I like the golf course, Hilversumsche, and it is nice that I can drive there from home. It's only two hours away and it's nice to have your own car."
The German returned to form in Switzerland last week in what was his first start since a disappointing defence of the US PGA Championship: 12 months after winning the title at Whistling Straits, he failed to make the cut at Atlanta.
Williams' wagers
- Simon Dyson E/W to win the KLM Open - 25/1 at bet365
David Lynn E/W - 66/1 at bet365
And to be honest, for most of this season he's failed to recapture the heights that saw him emerge as the planet's best player when summer 2010 turned to autumn. Consistency has been a big problem, so let's look elsewhere for value.
Simon Dyson has stormed up the world rankings this year, playing well enough to earn him tenth place in the Race to Dubai standings, which is ahead of the likes of Sergio Garcia, Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero. Dyson has always been a solid performer, but the difference over the past 12 months has been improved work with the irons - compared to how he performed in 2005, he's hitting 10% more greens in regulation.
And iron play is cruical at the Hilversumsche Golf Club, a short course that demands accurate second-shot placement. No-one knows this better than Dyson, who has claimed two of his five European Tour triumphs at the KLM Open, most recently in 2009.
He pieced together three terrific rounds last week - two 66s and a 68 - but things went awry on Saturday, with a 74 scuppering his chances of victory. Nonetheless, as he's comfortable with both the course and the state of his game at present, we see plenty of appeal at 25/1 odds.
Another past champion is David Lynn, who claimed the 2004 iteration, and he arrives following a sixth-place finish last time out at the European Masters, where he closed with a 65. The 37-year-old fired all four rounds in the 60s at Crans, and can boast a second-place finish this season at the Iberdrola Open. Worth a shot at 66/1.
Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.
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Josh Williams
Josh Williams is an assistant editor of ESPN.co.uk
