Dougherty has a million reasons to smile (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Dougherty has a million reasons to smile

2:30pm Wednesday 18th November 2009 in

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CHORLEY’s Nick Dougherty will hope to end his season on a high at the Dubai World Championship over the Earth Course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

The Shaw Hill professional has struggled for form in recent months, finishing well down the field in each of his last six European Tour events.

But the 27-year-old is still 31st in the Race to Dubai order of merit, with earnings of 810,288 euros from 26 tournaments this year.

A top five finish in the United Arab Emirates could see his 2009 earnings pass the million euro mark, but he faces stiff competition.

Lee Westwood is among a star-studded field and Dougherty’s fellow Englishman admits it was probably a mistake to play last week’s Hong Kong Open.

The event saw Rory McIlroy finish as runner-up for the second year running and take over the European Tour Order of Merit lead with only this week's Dubai World Championship remaining.

Westwood was down in joint 54th spot and so fell nearly £115,000 behind the 20-year-old Northern Irishman.

Victory on Sunday would still make him Europe's number one for the second time, but the Worksop golfer cannot now afford to finish outside the top seven to have a chance.

“In hindsight, I think it probably was a mistake,” said Westwood.

“I obviously didn’t know the course because I had never been there, but looking back it definitely didn’t suit me.”