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Dougherty looking for quick fix

David Birtill
11/ 7/2008

NICK Dougherty, who lost his top 10 place in the Ryder Cup rankings last weekend when he missed the cut in the European Open, is in danger of slipping further down the pecking order unless he can get his game back on course in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

The Shaw Hill touring professional goes into today's second round on level par, seven shots behind leader Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, and mindful of the damage failing to qualify tonight could do to his dream of playing in his mentor Nick Faldo's team in September.

And he's also desperate to rekindle his old fire ahead of next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale where he will be under the additional pressure of trying to please the home fans on a links he's more familiar with than any other in the world.

Three birdies, cancelled out by as many bogeys, revealed the inconsistencies which have plagued him over recent weeks as Jaidee produced a superb recovery from a shaky start.

He opened with a bogey five on the second but quickly hit back to post a seven-under-par 64.

His recovery started with four birdies on the third, fourth, fifth and sixth holes, before he claimed a birdie three on the ninth to go out in 32. He then picked up shots at the 13th, 17th and 18th to move into a one stroke lead over the 2007 US Open Champion Angel Cabrera.

Former MEN Manchester Open winner Garry Houston, from Chester, was two off the pace.

Macclesfield's Jamie Donaldon was on 71 and Birchwood's Phil Archer 74.

HOPWOOD'S Rachel Connor, who is coached by Dougherty's dad Roger, helped England defeat Denmark 5-1 in the European Girls' Team Championship at Scottish club Murcar.

She despatched Charlotte Lorentzen five and four in the singles after losing her foursomes with English champion Hannah Barwood.

Bolton's Kelly Tidy was rested for the singles but she won her foursomes with Alexandra Peters two and one against Lorentzen and Nicole Larsen.

England face the Netherlands in today's semi-finals.

ELLESMERE assistant Martyn Hamer joined forces with Eastham Lodge's Nick Sargeant to fire a 12-under-par 58 at Woodsome Hall to lead the Skycaddie PGA Fourball Championship qualifier. They were four shots ahead of Ringway's David Brunton and Gatley pro Jon Cheetham.