Simon Dyson aims for rankings rise ahead of Masters bow

EVERY young golfer's dream is to play the Masters one day and England's Simon Dyson now has less than a month to wait for his debut.

"I've got 16 family and friends going and we're renting a couple of houses," said the 32-year-old from York. "I can't wait."

Augusta is not all Dyson has to look forward to this year. A first Ryder Cup cap is in his sights – he is fifth on the points table at the moment – and he is getting married in December.

First, though, comes this week's CA Championship in Miami, only the fourth World Golf Championships event of his career. It is an important one, too. Dyson has fallen out of the world's top 50 since the start of the year and climbing back up could help him get invites to forthcoming US Tour events.

"I'm used to playing a lot and I'd like to be in all four before Augusta," he said. "I don't feel I've really had a run and got into the season yet. I had the three in a row in the Middle East, but I'm sick of the stop-start since then."

Dyson's only tournament since Dubai at the start of last month was the WGC Match Play in Tucson three weeks ago and he lost in the first round to American Sean O'Hair. Four players in this week's 68-strong field – Danes Soren Hansen and Soren Kjeldsen, Thai Thongchai Jaidee and China's Liang Wen-chong – were in Malaysia last week, but, despite winning four times in Asia, the Dunhill Links champion said: "I just thought it would be a killer trip from there to here. They must be so tired."

The tournament at the TPC Blue Monster course – not so much of a monster now with Phil Mickelson winning at 19 under par last year and Geoff Ogilvy 17 under in 2008 – has no halfway cut. English trio Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, who stand fourth, fifth and sixth in the world respectively, all have the chance to go higher this weekend.

Defending champion Mickelson did not arrive until Wednesday night because of other commitments, but at least he is playing this time. Like Tiger Woods he gave the Match Play a miss.

Meanwhile, Lloyd Saltman cruised to victory in the Hi5 Pro Tour's Polaris Condado de Alhama Open in Murcia, Spain yesterday.

The Archerfield pro, who led by four shots heading into the closing round, signed off with a two-under 70 for an 11-under 205 and won by five strokes from Dutchman Floris De Vries and former Scottish Amateur champion Callum Macaulay.

Saltman's success, which earned him almost 2,000, was his second pro win in just over a week following victory in the Major Golf Championship at Archerfield last Tuesday. European Tour player Macaulay, runner-up in last year's Madeira Islands Open, closed with a 71 for a six-under 210 and picked up 1,055, while Saltman's older brother, Elliot, shared 11th spot on 221 after a 72.