“HOUSTON – we haven’t got a problem” will be the mantra driving York king of swing Simon Dyson ahead of the first Major of the season.

The golf ace was primed to open his campaign in the Shell Houston Open today – precisely one week before he will make his debut in the Masters at the hallowed Augusta course.

Dyson has not wielded a club on the competitive circuit for more than two weeks since he bagged an admirable joint 50th finish in the World Golf Championship event at the Doral Blue Monster course in Florida earlier this month.

Since then the Malton & Norton Golf Club ace has remained in America after just missing out on the chance to play in last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational event won by South African Ernie Els.

Much of his time has been spent practising, including checking out the National Augusta Masters venue.

Dyson admitted to being slightly swing-rusty but he was delighted to have today’s tournament to aim at over the next four days in order to hone his final preparations for Augusta.

Said Dyson: “I do feel as if my season has hardly started this year. It’s been a bit stop-start and I don’t like not playing regularly.

“One of the best things about my stay has been the weather. It’s been beautiful and that has meant that practice has gone very well.

“I am just itching to get going again with the Houston.”

The Shell Houston Open may well be held in a town called Humble, but there’s nothing modest about the stature of the field with many of the world’s leading players in action.

Nor is the prize fund on offer worth sniffing at. That stands at just short of $6million with a shade over $1million going to the eventual winner on Sunday.

Dyson, who is now ranked at 56 in the world, while remaining sixth in the European Ryder Cup points chart, is one of the later starters in today’s first round.

He will be partnered over the first two days at the Redstone Golf Club course by American Alex Prugh and Henrik Bjornstad of Norway.