GOLF Portuguese Open:This time next year English golfer Simon Dyson wants to be preparing for his Masters debut - and he took another step in the right direction yesterday.

Dyson, on his own admission more dedicated now than earlier in his career, began the Portuguese Open at windy Oitavos with a four under par 67.

After two wins last season and two near misses already this year the 29-year-old is up to 75th in the world and finishing 2007 in the top 50 to earn himself a trip to Augusta is one of his main goals.

"I've grown up a bit I think and do things a lot better and correctly," said Dyson, who ended the round one ahead of Scot Stephen Gallacher, South African Louis Oosthuizen and last year's English amateur champion Ross McGowan, playing just his second European Tour event.

"I just used to have a bit too much of a jolly. I used to enjoy it a bit too much and wasn't doing the right things in the evenings.

"We'd go out and have a bit of a good time - instead of getting an early night and watching the England game! At least it made me realise that my life's not that bad. My local pub team would have beaten Andorra."

Nephew of Terry Dyson, part of Tottenham's double-winning side in 1961, and a promising footballer himself as a teenager, the former Walker Cup player was fortunate to be among the early starters who were well into their rounds before the wind starting gusting to almost 30mph.

He had two quick birdies and then a 20-foot eagle putt on the 573-yard 16th, which downwind he reached with a drive and five-iron.

Oosthuizen teed off only 45 minutes later and reached four under after 11, but played the remaining seven in one over to finish alongside McGowan, who despite failing to earn a Tour card at the qualifying school last November decided to turn professional rather than wait for this September's Walker Cup.

Gallacher was among the last to finish and a bogey six on his final hole (actually the seventh) saw him drop out of a share for the lead.

On a disappointing day for the Irish - with none breaking par - Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy lead the way on two-over-par 73.

Paul McGinley is five over on 76, with Damien McGrane a shot back on 77, while amateur Rory McIlroy failed to reproduce the form that won him the individual title at the European Nations Cup in Sotogrande last week with an opening effort of eight-over-par 79.