Work pays off for Dougherty (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Work pays off for Dougherty

10:36am Friday 15th May 2009

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CHORLEY golfer Nick Dougherty, without a single top 10 finish since last August, reminded everybody of his talent when The 3 Irish Open began at wet and windy Baltray yesterday.

Four birdies in six holes around the turn helped the former QEGS pupil to a six under par 66, a score matched 10 minutes later by Scotland’s former Open champion Paul Lawrie.

Some of the other big names were left trailing behind.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, top European when he finished 17th at last month’s Masters, managed only a five over par 77, while defending champion Richard Finch could do no better than 73.

Rory McIlroy, however, fought back from two early bogeys for a three under 69 and European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, who has missed his last two halfway cuts, was only one further back.

Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harr-ington, commuting to the event by helicopter from his Dublin home, Lee Westwood and John Daly - joint second in Turin - were among the later starters.

This time last year Dougherty was devastated by his mother’s fatal heart attack and after looking a likely Ryder Cup debutant for so long he just missed out on qualifying.

His best finish since then was a 14th place in Australia in February, but after starting on the far tougher back nine he followed six pars in a row with birdies at the 16th, 18th, second and third.

Two more came in the last four holes and he said afterwards: “I think because everyone saw the forecast for the week you expect the worst.

“Apart from the fact that it was very cold at the start it was a pleasant surprise and you feel a bit more positive about what you can achieve.

“I did a lot of work on my short game last week. I’ve been guilty in the past of just standing on the range hitting balls and you lose sight of what the game’s about - getting the ball in the hole.”

Lawrie hit the headlines this week even before teeing off. That was over a ban he has received from his former club Meldrum House over comments he made about the greens.

“I’m absolutely gob-smacked at the action they have taken,” he said.

“Unfortunately these things happen and it’s not going to upset me one little bit, as you can see from today.”

Level par after eight holes he birdied six of the next seven to join Dougherty out in front.

Finland’s Roope Kakko, in the event thanks to his top 10 finish in Italy last week, also reached five under, while one behind was Scotland’s Marc Warren.

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