Thursday, September 1, 2011

Golf is Dumb, Nick Dougherty Edition


In 1998, Justin Rose was just a kid. Barely old enough to buy a pack of cigarettes, Rose was playing some incredible golf at the Open Championship, and concluded his impressive week as an amateur with a hole-out on the 72nd hole for birdie to jump all the way to fourth place. His was charismatic, talented and looked to be a solid pro at such a young age.

But something strange happens when you turn professional. Rose went pro shortly after his great play at Royal Birkdale and proceeded to miss 21 straight cuts. It was ugly, it was sad and it was really tough to watch. But we all know the history of Rose. The now 31-year-old Rose has two PGA Tour wins and four European Tour titles and has been a very solid player over his career. Sure, he hasn't really found that magic that he had at Birkdale when he actually took headlines away from the eventual champion Mark O'Meara, but he's been fine.

Cue fellow Englishman Nick Dougherty. The 29-year-old never had expectations like Rose, but people thought he'd be great. He has won three European Tour events, and finished tied for seven at the at the '07 U.S. Open. But since November, Dougherty hasn't made a cut. Not a single one. He's gone 21 straight tournaments without seeing the green-side of a Friday night, but golf is a ridiculously insane sport, so why wouldn't it be that Nick is now leading the first tournament he could see the weekend at in 2011?

That's the case. Dougherty shot a Thursday 63 to take a two-shot lead at the Omega European Masters, and while it is simply the first round, it's great stuff from a guy that seemed destined for doom this season. Will he make the cut come Friday evening? I sure hope so, because it would take a massive "Utopia" style meltdown not to happen, but for now we can just all smile at the fact that a guy that couldn't have found a fairway with a wedge is now on top at a big-time event. Keep it up, Dougherty.


Getty Images

10 comments:

Roland Paterson said...

What you're saying in a roundabout way, is that since getting married, his golf's been useless....

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Bruce Critchley said...

Such a major loss in form and confidence must be soul destroying for young Nick Dougherty.
I mean the guy is married to the beautiful Diana Dougherty from Sky sports and seeing as though Nick has failed so miserably in earning anything decent this year he must be really thinking i cannot support my wife like a true man should.
There must be thousands of club golfers in the 16-24 handicap range that must be queing up to take Mr Dougherty's money off a level playing field, but if you do make sure he has the necessary wager in his pocket before you set off.
Maybe it's high time young nick decided on a different career route, if he still fancies being involved in this great game may i suggest a green keeping scholarship, caddy or even course design because i fear his playing tour golf are all but over.
I mean i recently had the pleasure to attend a tournament where Nick was colmpeting and his driving... well... the old saying barn door with a banjo springs to mind, it was embarrasing to say the least.
It's not long now before Mr George Grady takes Nick's tour card off of him and then it will be the tour qualifying school and im afraid to say more disappointment.
Please please Nick try to support your lovely wife like a true man should and ditch the golf game, it really is embarrasing to see....

Kind regards

Bruce Critchley

Anonymous said...

You are not Bruce Critchley so why not say who you are? You are probably a bit of a hacker who does not understand what it takes to make a living from the game. Players finishing 115th in the money list would give a scratch golfer a five shot start!

Bruce Critchley said...

A hacker of the game, excuse me you retard, i was merely pointing out the drastic downward spiral of poor Nick's golf game and how it's going to affect him as a proud Liverpudlian.
I don't give 2 hoots to your personal opinion of the 115th money list winner and a scratch golfer, ive been there you fool and know what im talking about.
I played for many years on the European tour and in that time had 2 victories so i happen to know what im talking about. You on the other hand i suspect are a short, droll little man who has trouble in satisfying your lady friend due to the fact of not being able to systain an erection for more than 2mins 24 seconds.
If i want to write an informative article on Nicholas Doherty then i bloody well will you under endowed little twerp.

Anonymous said...

Bruce Critchley would never write such an amateurish piece of badly constructed prose. He is a pro raconteur of the game and knows all the players out on tour.
Dougherty would be struggling to maintain a scratch handicap and at any quality club on current form he wouldn't be able to win a medal. But he knows how to win and he's proved that so hopefully he'll get it back. Look at Simon Khan - he was probably considering retiring and then he won the BMW with the exemption that comes with that he'll nearly be eligible for the seniors tour when it runs out.

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