Nick Dougherty to face old partner in Arizona

Feb 19 2008 by Mark Garrod and Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

NICK DOUGHERTY and Luke Donald, Walker Cup partners seven years ago, will be facing each other when the Accenture World Match Play Championship starts in Arizona tomorrow.

Following Ernie Els’ late decision to play, the only absentee from the world’s top 64 when the official draw was made on Sunday night was injured American Brett Wetterich.

That brought 65th-ranked JB Holmes into the field and into a clash with world number one Tiger Woods.

Dougherty is looking for a big week to enhance his chances of making the Ryder Cup team for September.

He is presently occupying one of the qualifying places and, if successful, the 25 year-old would become the first graduate of Nick Faldo’s highly acclaimed Junior Series to earn a Ryder place in the year that the former world number one actually captains the European team.

“With all the money and points available, it’s a case of win five matches in a row and you are in the Ryder Cup,” declared Dougherty, who has been working hard on further swing changes to maintain his climb up the world rankings.

Since winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for his second European Tour title, he has been gradually remodelling his swing with his coach Damien Taylor.

He has also visited Callaway’s new putting analysis clinic in Surrey to have his short game checked by computers.

“The changes have been introduced gradually and I am really pleased with the way they are going,” he added.

Dougherty is 39th on the European Order of Merit, but has played just four of the possible 12 events so far. He has won 97,669 euros to date.

Meanwhile it proved to be a disappointing week for the Merseyside contingent when the European Tour visited Indonesia.

Bromborough’s Paul Waring was forced to withdraw from the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open with a pulled muscle in his back after only a few holes on the first day. However it is hoped that his early decision to pull out of the event – caddy Duncan Robertson is a qualified physiotherapist – will have prevented further damage and allow him to resume his campaign at the earliest opportunity.

Meanwhile Formby Hall’s Lee Slattery missed his third successive cut. He missed out by two shots after rounds of 71,70 left him on one over par 141.

A double bogey six at the 18th on day one cost the Southport player a sub par round, and while he battled hard on day two with five birdies, the same number of bogeys left him adrift of the cut mark.

The next European Tour event is the Johnnie Walker Classic, at DLF GC in India from February 28. Warrington’s Phillip Archer is in the entry list, but both Slattery and Waring need a substantial number of withdrawals to make the starting line-up.