Near the Lead; Simon Dyson DQ'd in Shanghai

European Tour veteran Simon Dyson dealt a blow to his chances to make the lucrative Race to Dubai finale when he was disqualified from this week's BMW Masters for a rules violation.

According to an Associated Press report from the tournament in Shanghai, Dyson committed the infraction during Friday's second round. After marking his ball on the eighth green, he tamped down a spot on his putting line, a violation of Rule 16-1a.

On Saturday morning, the Englishman was approached by European Tour officials, who had been informed of the rule breach. The report did not say who informed them.

Because Dyson, 35, did not include a two-stroke penalty on the hole, he was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Dyson had been in a tie for second, four shots behind Luke Guthrie.

Dyson is No. 66 on the European Tour money list, and only the top 60 are eligible for the final event in Dubai.

There are two more tournaments, the WGC-HSBC Champions and theTurkish Airlines Open, before the season finale in Dubai.