LUMBRES, France (PA) -- Simon Dyson is determined to finally discover that winning mentality when the Aa St. Omer Open gets under way on Thursday.
The highest ranked player in the field of this small European Tour event scheduled opposite the U.S. Open -- he lies 62nd in the Volvo Order of Merit -- has twice found himself in contention for top spot this year.
Dyson finished second in both the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai and a European Challenge Tour event in Denmark only two weeks ago.
"The pressure got to me in Shanghai, there's no doubt about it," admitted Dyson, who lost out there to the vastly experienced Miguel Angel Jimenez. "It was a huge day and I let it affect me. But hopefully I have learned my lesson."
After his high finish in Denmark, Dyson missed the cut at the Diageo Championship at Gleneagles last week, but put that down to a back problem.
"It went after six holes of the first round," he said. "I was level par after seven but struggled after that. "I couldn't hit it -- I could hardly walk but I managed to get round in 5-over.
"I played nicely on the second day and had two bogeys and 16 pars," he added. "I was quite pleased, given the conditions -- the wind was absolutely howling and I still feel good about my game."
Dyson finished 46th at St Omer last year, while Australian Brett Rumford emerged victorious. Rumford is not in the field, but runner-up Ben Mason is and will no doubt be hoping to go one better.
While the money and focus is on the U.S. Open, the carrot of a one-year exemption to the European Tour means there will be an edge to this tournament in northern France for a number of players.
Former Ryder Cup star Philip Walton is looking to advance up the Challenge Tour rankings, as is Greig Hutcheon, who finished joint 17th at Gleneagles.
"The rewards are big for Challenge Tour players, with an immediate exemption to the European Tour," said Hutcheon, a 31-year-old Scot. "I'm playing well at the moment. I did well at Gleneagles last weekend, apart from my bogey-bogey finish. I can take some confidence from that performance.
"I changed putters recently and have been putting quite well with the new one, and that is something you have to do at this course," he added. "I remember last year the conditions at St. Omer being quite windy, and that would suit me after the week we had at Gleneagles last weekend."
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