TEENAGE golf sensation Nick Dougherty has stepped into the bitter row between Nick Faldo and Mark James.

The two world stars have been at each other's throats ever since Faldo was left out of last year's Ryder Cup side by James, the Europe captain.

And the war of words recently resurfaced in James's new book 'Into The Bear Pit'.

Dougherty, the England Boys captain, has formed a close association with his mentor Faldo.

And the Shaw Hill star and former pupil of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn, was horrified by accusations that Faldo had tried to undermine Europe's chances in Brookline.

Dougherty said: "Nick has put a lot of time, money and effort into developing junior golfers in the hope of producing tomorrow's European Ryder Cup players through the Faldo Junior Series.

"He would be a fantastic Ryder Cup captain because he has so much experience, enthusiasm and determination.

"As for comments about Nick's idea of a night out being 'dinner for one on the balcony of his hotel', I have been in Nick's company, socially many times and he is great fun to be with -- the most outgoing guy you could ever wish to meet.

"Nick is a very dedicated man and, if being so single-minded and focused is a bad thing, then I might as well put my clubs away.

"It is really quite sad when people knock Nick for being an individual who has been so successful."

"I think it is time we take a good look at who our heroes really are because we have never seen such an unappreciated British superstar as Nick Faldo."

Meanwhile, Nick Dougherty was two strokes off the leaders as the second round of The Royal Liverpool Amateur Championship got under way today.