Nick Dougherty hopes home support can aid Open dream

Jul 17 2008 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

NICK DOUGHERTY is banking on the support of his home-town crowd at the Open Championship to pull him through the most traumatic spell of his life.

The Liverpool golfer arrived at Royal Birkdale this week still reeling from the death of his mother, Ennis, at the age of 61 after suffering a heart attack in April.

The 26-year-old admitted his mind and game are not in the right shape for one of golf’s biggest occasions after the loss of the person he describes as “a huge influence on my life and career.”

But the thought of fulfilling his mum’s dream of seeing him win a place in the Ryder Cup team is keeping him playing when otherwise he might have taken a break.

Now after spending several days working hard on his game over the Southport links he graced as a young boy, Dougherty will tee up this morning hoping the cheers of the crowd will help him find the inspiration to score well.

“I am looking forward to it and the home support I will get here,” he said last night after completing his preparations.

“Hopefully that will help me find the inspiration and enthusiasm I know I need and the support people give me will pull me through.

“It’s lovely to be here at Birkdale; there is always a little bit of extra pressure when you want to do well in front of your home crowd.

“But at the same time it is lovely to have people pulling for you and hoping that every shot you hit goes where you want it to.

“Sometimes it can be lonely out on the course, but it’s nice to think people want you to do well.

“The support from this area has always been great, wherever I have been playing. People are aware of my situation and I have received lots of good wishes this week.

“People understand what I am going through because it is something that happens to everyone. It is not about golf.

“The only difference for me is that my professional life means I am in the public eye and that makes it a little bit harder.

“If I was in an office job perhaps it would not be noticed if I was not doing quite as well as I was, but those numbers keep going up on the scoreboard and everyone can see what is happening.

“But this is a Ryder Cup year and I cannot afford to to put things on hold.