SIMON Dyson's solid season continued apace with an admirable 13th place in the Nissan Irish Open in Kildare.

North Yorkshire's golf star posted a three-under-par total of 285 (71 72 71 71) to bag a cheque for just over £20,000.

Indeed, but for his least impressive performance on the last nine holes of the star-studded tournament Dyson would have come away from Ireland with an even bigger pot of gold.

The hardest half of the Carton House course in Maynooth proved consistently to be the opening nine holes, yet the 27-year-old Dyson tamed that section on the final day when he bagged three birdies to one dropped shot.

However, on the inward nine, where Dyson had bagged all but two of his previous 11 birdies, he managed eight pars, plus a dropped shot on the par-four 16th. Still, it was enough to hoist Dyson into 44th place in the Order of Merit with earnings this year now topping the £129,000 mark.

Welshman Stephen Dodd won the event at the first extra play-off hole against England's David Howell after both finished on nine-under 279.

Updated: 11:06 Monday, May 23, 2005