• Johnnie Walker Championship, Round One

Dyson boosts his slim Ryder Cup hopes at Gleneagles

Simon Dyson holds his ball aloft © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Dyson shows grit to stay in the hunt
  
• News: Fisher excels as Jimenez defends his Ryder Cup place
  
• News: Hanson slams Ryder Cup hopefuls not at Gleneagles
  
• The Betting Bunker: Havret threatens trio's chances in Ryder Cup battle
  
• News: Molinari takes swipe at Ryder Cup rivals
  
• News: Monty agonising over Ryder Cup picks
  

Leaderboard

Simon Dyson gave his slim Ryder Cup hopes a huge boost by storming into contention for the Johnnie Walker Championship on the first day of action at Gleneagles, with Richard Finch two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard.

Dyson, the world No. 68, stands at 13th in the European Points list - the top nine qualify automatically for the Ryder Cup - and needs to win the tournament to have any chance of playing at Celtic Manor in October.

Dyson looked set to put himself in the ideal position to achieve that triumph when he reached six-under after 15, but bogeys at two of the last three holes inflicted some late damage in his four-under round of 68.

Nonetheless he remains well in the hunt, and only two shots adrift of fellow Englishman Finch. The former Irish Open champion leads by a shot from a group of five players that include two more English players, David Lynn and Robert Rock. Finch made six birdies in all during a bogey-free round of 66.

Miguel Angel Jimenez may only sit four shots off the pace after the first round, but worringly for the Spaniard, he is currently tied for 29th in a very competitive field.

The Spaniard was set to miss the Johnnie Walker in order to attend a nephew's wedding, but he performed a late u-turn in order to defend his position at ninth in the European points list.

Jimenez, a veteran of four Ryder Cups, needs to finish in the top nine at Gleneagles in order to see off Dyson's challenge - and he put himself on course to achieve that goal with a two-under 70 that featured nine straight pars after the turn. But the late starters fared better and it remains to be seen whether Jimenez can catapult himself into contention.

Peter Hanson is one place above Jimenez in the European list and, barring disaster over subsequent days, he should take his place at Celtic Manor after completing at three-under.

The situation looks less promising for Alvaro Quiros - now the only other player in the field that can gatecrash the automatic qualification places. Quiros, who must win the tournament to stand any chance of making the Ryder Cup, completed his round in level-par.

Ross McGowanwas left to rue a shoulder injury as he shot a five-over 77 that has wrecked his Ryder Cup dreams. "The painkillers didn't work," he said. "I struggled at the beginning, it's quite disappointing and it was difficult to get in the right frame of mind."

"Unfortunately it's obviously the last event of The Ryder Cup qualification, and won't be able to make the team now, but I've got a few years left in me, so hopefully I'll make the team in a couple years time."

Francesco Molinari is the man to profit from McGowan's bad luck, with the Italian, who signed for a four-under 68, now guaranteed a debut at Celtic Manor in October.

Francesco's brother, Edoardo Molinari is one of the leading candidates for one of Colin Montgomerie's three wildcard picks, and he did his chances no harm with a two-under 70. The Italian, who won the Scottish Open in July, failed to convert numerous birdie chances on his way to 30 putts.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.