The Open Championship, St Andrews, 15-18 July
Highlights: Red Button, BBC Sport website and iPlayer

By Ged Scott BBC Sport at St Andrews

Dyson will now try to secure himself a place in the Ryder Cup

Yorkshireman Simon Dyson blamed a forgettable Open Championship on his misfiring putter after failing to make a planned final day move at St Andrews.

"It's been a good week," he told BBC Sport. "I'd been playing all right coming up to this and I've actually hit it lovely for all four days.

"But I've not holed any putts. There's only a handful of guys who have hit the ball as well as I have this week.

"But they've holed the putts and, unfortunately, that's half the game."

Manchester-based Dyson was mildly critical of the R&A's decision not to cut the greens before the final round.

But, after cancelling out a first hole birdie with a bogey at four before rattling off a Nick Faldo-like 14 straight pars for a level-par 72, Dyson also recognized the R&A's attempt to answer the problem of balls oscillating and blowing off the greens in Friday's high winds.

"They've left them to grow a bit for a couple of days," he said. "And even the downhill putts were pretty slow today.

"But it's understandable. The winds were terrible on Friday and they expected them a bit yesterday too.

606: DEBATE What do you think of English players' performances at the Open?

"Maybe they could have shaved them a little for today though."

Dyson, 32, who was 13th on the European Ryder Cup points list going into this week and still has a chance of making his debut at Celtic Manor in October, will now enjoy a week off.

But he admits: "I've got a long run after that.

"And I just hope I can keep on playing like I am, but with a few putts dropping.

"I'm pleased with my game. I struck the ball really good and, if I keep playing like that, something will happen."

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