NORTH Yorkshire's Simon Dyson capped his first US PGA Championship with a round to remember at Southern Hills.

The 29-year-old from York had not played in a major yet this season but looked to be in prime position for a top-10 finish after a six under 64 in broiling conditions at the Oklahoma venue.

But Hartlepool's Graeme Storm, who led the event after the opening round, faded away over the weekend.

Saturday's 74 was followed by a 76 yesterday, as he finished in 62nd place on 13 over par.

Dyson missed the cut in his last two tournaments, but a much-needed break allowed him to come back refreshed and it showed as his 31 on the front nine was the low front nine of the week.

He explained: ''I put my clubs away for two weeks and didn't touch them. I had a few nights out with my mates and took my girlfriend away for a couple of days.

''Then as soon as I came back, I just started practising again and carried on at the gym.

''After two weeks off, I actually felt pretty good - then I flew out here and still felt good.''

He may have felt good, but Dyson did not get the results he was after in the early rounds, opening with a 73 and following up with rounds of 71 and 72.

His 64 yesterday included seven birdies and just one bogey and he added: ''My game has been in pretty good stead throughout the first three days.

''I was driving it well. The second day I did everything but hole a putt. I played quite a few practice rounds. I knew the course pretty well, liked it and it helped.''

Birdies at the first two holes got Dyson going and he added more on the fourth and sixth.

He started the back nine with a bogey but responded with a birdie at the next.

He added a birdie on 13 and one more on 18 to put the finishing touches on a stellar performance.

He added: ''I always thought my best chance of doing well in a major would be the Open because obviously I played a lot of links golf. So to finish in the top 10 in the PGA, which is the top 100 players in the world, it's something I'll savour for a long time.''

Tiger Woods maintained his three-shot lead through the early stages of his final round.

Wayward off the tee on both the first two holes, Woods paid for it with a bogey at the second. Woody Austin was two shots back at the time, at four under, but missed a golden opportunity to put the heat on Woods by sliding a five-foot birdie try at the fourth past the hole.

Playing alongside Woods in the final group, Stephen Ames wilted in the heat. He bogeyed his first two holes and not even a birdie at the third could revive him as he three-putted from about 25 feet on the par-five fifth for his third bogey of the day.

Woods was at seven under after five holes and three shots clear of Austin. Ernie Els carded birdies at three and five to move to three under. Colin Montgomerie was three under for the round after a birdie at 15, his fifth of the day, but he faded down the stretch.

A bogey at 17 was followed by a double-bogey at 18. The stumbling finish undid all of Montgomerie's hard work as he settled for an even-par 70 and an eight-over 288 total.

Lee Westwood finished with a 68 to close at six-over 286. He carded a bogey-free round with consecutive birdies at 12 and 13.