Simon Dyson revealed spending the past two days in the company of Ernie Els has been worth all the golf lessons in the world as the 29-year-old lined up a weekend assault on the BMW Asian Open at Tomson Shanghai Pudong GC.

A second consecutive 70 saw the York-based ace finish the day well placed in a tie for eighth at four-under-par going into the third round, although he still trails leader Raphael Jacquelin by five strokes. The Frenchman is nine-under.

Malton and Norton Golf Club's Dyson is two shots better off than illustrious playing partner Els who shot 71.

Dyson could be forgiven for feeling slightly smug that he had outplayed one of the game's leading players over the opening 36 holes of the 7,326-yard Shanghai course, but instead paid tribute to the 37-year-old's lasting influence.

He said: "It doesn't get much better than playing with Ernie Els and it certainly helped me.

"He's a pleasure to play with. He's one of the best players in the world and you can see why.

"He makes it look so easy. My game would improve if I played with him week-in, week-out. You would learn so much.

"I played with him about three years ago in Melbourne and I learnt more in one day than I had done in four years.

"He failed to make an easy up and down, bogeyed the next and then birdied the following two holes.

"The ability to put a bogey behind him was something I picked up and I've done it so many times since.

"Little things like that make the difference and it's made a difference to me over the last couple of years.

"You have to learn off players like that. They're the best in the world for a reason."

Dyson can be regarded as a fine player in his own right having claimed both the KLM and Indonesian Opens last season to end the year 21st on the European Tour Order of Merit.

He boasts two third-placed finishes already this campaign, at the Malaysian Open and Singapore Masters, as well as pedigree at this event having finished second in 2004 and a tie for fifth last year.

And Dyson feels the experience of those recent performances will stand him in good stead this weekend.

"The more you are up there, the more you get used to it," he added.

"It showed me I could do it. I was still naive when I lost three years ago. I'm still learning but I know a lot more now than I did then.

"I've been quite aggressive off the tee so I'll play exactly the same way."

Dyson was today partnering Colin Montgomerie, who posted a 70 to follow his 69.