Dougherty wants major opportunity

Nick Dougherty’s first taste of major championship golf has left him wanting more – and this week’s French Open in Paris gives him the chance to achieve it.

The 23-year-old from Liverpool came only 52nd in the US Open at Pinehurst, but the fact that Michael Campbell won has whetted his appetite for next month’s Open championship at St Andrews even more.

The two of them finished level in the qualifying tournament at Walton Heath two weeks ago but, while Campbell’s first major victory has guaranteed him a place in the starting line-up at the home of golf in three weeks’ time, Dougherty has yet to earn a spot alongside him.

Four opportunities remain and the first comes at Le Golf National, where finishing in the top eight could see the former Walker Cup star claim one of two places on offer from a mini-Order of Merit which has been running from the British Masters last month.

Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Swede Peter Hedblom, whose 11th place on Sunday has earned him a return trip to the US Open, occupy the two positions at the moment.

England’s Brian Davis and Paul Broadhurst are the closest to them and then come Spain’s Jose Manuel Lara, Sweden’s Martin Erlandsson and two more Englishmen in Gary Emerson and Dougherty.

If he fails to make it this weekend, the Singapore Masters champion would then have to go to Sunningdale next Monday for the 36-hole qualifier where around 120 players will be fighting it out for about 12 places at St Andrews.

Dougherty said of his Pinehurst experience: “I really enjoyed it and got a taste of what major championship golf is all about.

“It was such a tough set-up and some of the pin placings brutal. Now I just want to go and see what a normal course looks like. It’ll probably feel like pitch-and-putt.

“I would challenge anyone to shoot at the flags where they were the last day and score under par. You just couldn’t and what I learnt is that the patience required is different to any other tournament.

“Drop a stroke and you just have to accept it. The key is to enjoy it - relish the challenge is the best way to put it. Even good shots went into horrible places, but that’s what makes it great and you almost ride with it.

“At times it was fun because it was such a struggle. I’d like to think that there were not many who handled it as well mentally as I did.”

Nine of the 24 Europeans who competed in North Carolina have moved on to Le Golf National. Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley were joint 42nd, Thomas Levet and Soren Kjeldsen finished alongside Dougherty and Jonathan Lomas was 57th. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Stephen Gallacher and Robert Karlsson missed the cut.

The remainder of the field includes Jose Maria Olazabal and Ian Woosnam, both of whom have yet to qualify for the Open as well and will be at Sunningdale if necessary.