TEEN golfing sensation Nick Dougherty swept the opposition aside to lift one of the most prestigious junior golf titles for the third time in four years.

The 18-year-old amateur, who lists legend Nick Faldo among his closest golfing pals, won the Faldo Junior Series by four strokes in the final at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake.

The Shaw Hill lad, who won his first tournament at just six years old, has now set his sights on following his mentor Faldo into the professional game.

"I am going to turn professional sooner or later," said the former QEGS pupil. "It is just a question of when.

"I want to win as many tournaments as possible as an amateur before I go pro. I want to win the Walker Cup next year because that is the highest honour for an amateur."

After winning the Faldo Junior title in its first year in 1997 and again in 1998, Dougherty slipped to second last year but was determined to get back to winning ways this year, the last in which he qualifies as a junior. "Winning the Faldo junior series is really important to me, especially here at Hoylake because it is almost home.

"And I haven't been winning as much as I would have liked this year. I haven't won a tournament since January and that was in Guatemela!

"I just played solid today, but I was surprised how good the opposition was.

"In the first round I shot one under and thought I'd be in the lead but there were two who came in two under. It was tough."

The Faldo Junior Series was set up to help the best young golfers in Britain push themselves against the best of the best, including the cream of talent from the rest of the world.

Winning the tournament in the first year brought Dougherty face to face with his hero. "I met Nick Faldo for the first time after I won this competition in 1997. He was such a big player. I got to play with him the next day and it was amazing.

"We have had a lot of fun together. I spend the whole winter in Florida where I can practise at the Faldo Institute and that really helps my game.

"He has given me a lot of advice and encouragement and he has been a real inspiration. It is remarkable. You always have a hero and Nick Faldo has always been mine."

And 43-year-old Faldo has nothing but praise for the young star. "The opportunities out there are enormous," said the six-time major winner.

"He keeps beating everyone! He is competitive, he's keen and he's a good listener.

"I will tell him something and then three months later I will see him again I and I can see that he has taken what I said on board and thought about it."