NORTH Yorkshire’s banner continued to flutter proudly in China as Simon Dyson continued his World Golf Championship drive.

For the second day on the spin, York-born Dyson posted a three-under-par 69 to command a challenging position in the last WGC event of the season – the HSBC tournament at the Sheshan International circuit in Shanghai.

His six-under-par midway total – there is no half-way cut in the event which carries a belting prize fund of $7 million and a winner’s cheque for more than $842,000 – tied him for 11th place among the world’s leading 68 players.

The lead was held by surprise package Fredrik Jacobson, of Sweden, who heads the field by one shot after rounds of 67 and 66.

But with Malton & Norton Golf Club’s Dyson being only five shots shy of the top spot, he can entertain genuine hopes of adding to the brace of other European Tour crowns he has already won this season.

And with vital world rankings points up for grabs towards next year’s European Ryder Cup team, there is a lot to play for.

Unlike the first half of his opening round when birdies followed bogeys, Dyson cruised serenely around the Sheshan course.

A smooth second round carried little in the way of error as the tsar of par levelled no fewer than 15 holes. He supplemented that rock-steady run with valuable birdies on the par-four third and 13th holes, plus the par-three 17th.

Only two other Englishmen bested the world number 32’s two-round total – Paul Casey on eight-under (70 66) and world number two Lee Westwood, who was a shot further back from Casey (69 68).

Westwood, who comes under the same management umbrella as Dyson – the International Sports Management company run by Chubby Chandler – could set a new record for European Tour earnings this weekend.

Should the Worksop-born ace, who birdied three of the last six holes in yesterday’s second round, secure a top three place after tomorrow’s final round, he would go past the current highest figure of 26,100,907 euros held by South Africa’s Ernie Els.

Leader Jacobson has based himself in America since 2004, the year he just missed out on selection for the Ryder Cup match then held in Detroit.

As he surveyed the half-way stage from the top of the leader-board, he said: “I do feel the Ryder Cup would be one of my main goals for next year.”