4:28pm Thursday 1st October 2009
CHORLEY'S Nick Dougherty is facing an uphill battle to survive the cut after suffering a disastrous opening round at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The 27-year-old Shaw Hill professional - the tournament's 2007 champion - is almost out of the running after carding a six-over-par 78 at Carnoustie.
Dougherty, who was partnering American musician and song-writer Huey Lewis in the pro-am event, struck a double-bogey and bogey on his opening two holes.
His round improved with back-to-back birdies, but three bogeys and a further double-bogey meant Dougherty ended his opening day near the bottom of the leaderboard.
It was in 2007 that Dougherty enjoyed his greatest ever victory - and his third European Tour success - when he landed the Alfred Dunhill title.
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