NORTH Yorkshire swing commander Simon Dyson was soaring today despite his putter losing its magic touch over the concluding round of the Spanish Open.

Dyson finished joint fourth in the star-studded event at the Centro Nacional de Golf complex just outside Madrid.

The 29-year-old Malton and Norton Golf Club star posted a one-under-par 71, which was agonisingly away from being a much better round due to the fact that a flurry of putts just missed their target on the closing nine holes for a 13-under-par event total.

It was a Sunday of stark contrast to Dyson's Saturday when he blitzed the course with a six-under 66 to add to his first two rounds of 69.

But while he was disappointed at missing out on what would have been his third European Tour title, Dyson could celebrate being pitched in at his highest position in the European Tour Order of Merit.

Dyson's Spanish exertions earned him a cheque for £63,000 which elevated him to 17th place in the European rankings - his best ever - and tournament earnings in 2007 of just over £237,000. He is currently the third-highest placed Englishman in Europe with only Ryder Cup ace Paul Casey (third) and American-based Justin Rose (tenth) above him.

And the feeling is that Dyson will soon add to his Euro championship haul of last year's successes in the Indonesian Open and the KLM Masters. Just before the Madrid event Dyson was joint tenth in the BMW Asian Open. He now has three top ten finishes this year.

The Spanish Open was eventually won by South African Charl Schwartzel. His 16-under-par total of 272 (69 68 68 67) was one shot clear of India's Jyoti Randhawa, with local favourite Carlos Rodiles a further shot back.