home

jobs

	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NISSAN IRISH OPEN

May 20, 2005

Nick Dougherty

MAYNOOTH, IRELAND

GORDON SIMPSON: Nick, two birdies, two bogeys, a round of 72, but still a share of the lead, so nothing too much to worry about there.

NICK DOUGHERTY: No, it was good. I think the 72 is almost as good as the 68 I shot yesterday really. It was tough this morning and it was cold and it was raining, and obviously with that stronger wind, played a lot of long clubs into holes today.

Yeah, I'm quite pleased with that. A shame I could not pick up that last shot on the ninth, missed a short putt, but definitely take the 1 under as a result today.

GORDON SIMPSON: Talking about the weekend, you were saying yesterday about the patience factor, was that in evidence again today?

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, it was. Obviously a couple of guys got off to quick starts, Dyson; and David (Howell) did, obviously, he had a good round today. I had the bogey on 16, so just have to accept that you're going to make a few mistakes. By doing that, I think you get the most out of yourself and I certainly did that today.

Yeah, I mean, if I can keep doing this and keep a level head, go out there and enjoy it, I think I'll have a good chance come Sunday.

GORDON SIMPSON: Somebody said to David at 4 under, if he was given 8 under on Sunday, how would he feel and he said, "I'll be writing a speech."

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, I think so. I don't know what the forecast is.

GORDON SIMPSON: Pretty much the same.

NICK DOUGHERTY: I think 8 under would be lovely. It's just such a tough golf course, if there's any kind of poor condition, whether it be a bit of rain or wind. Because you hit long clubs, and if you miss the fairway you've got to chip out, and because it's so thick you're still hitting a long club in the greens, hitting long clubs into the middle of the fairway. The greens, they are saucers, and holes like the first today, look in the yardage book and it looks like on this little island on the back there. It's just a slog. It's very tiring, I must admit; I needed to eat when I came off, and it's hard work. I'm coping with it all right.

Q. Do you enjoy playing in these conditions?

NICK DOUGHERTY: No. I like beautiful sunshine, Florida kind of golf. That's when I play my best, but I don't want to be a one dimensional player. It used to be a good part of my game, being British and playing amateur golf, you play lot in the wind. I have struggled with that side of the game and a couple of times it's evident today, a couple swings, the bogey on 7, completely double crossed it; it's a technical error. If I was trying to feel that in, I certainly would never turn it over that way.

So it's just tough. It's very difficult and you've got to concentrate, and I'm just trying to hit it in spots and feel my way around this course. I'm quite pleased with how I've done it because I've really struggled with it recently, really, really struggled with it.

Q. Are you still working with Jamil Qureshi?

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, well I worked I worked with him last night. But I worked with him the day before. We didn't work much the week before. We did about an hour and a half on Wednesday.

So, yeah, it's good stuff. He just cements ideas I already have. I know exactly the way to think. I kind of saw the problem myself, and he obviously gives me examples how that I'm right in what I'm thinking and how to go about doing things differently.

Q. Are you surprised when you hear some players don't use a mind coach?

NICK DOUGHERTY: No, not at all. Players are always very skeptical about stuff like that. I probably was awhile ago as well. I think he adds something to my game, and in that way I don't mind using him. He's not a sports psychologist, either. He's a hypnotherapist. He helps me get the most out of myself, not my golf game.

Q. Inaudible

NICK DOUGHERTY: To each their own. Everybody has their own little problems. It's very fortunate, the guy I work with understands me well. He's known me for about a year and he knows what makes me tick, and I'm probably more open with him than I am with anyone else, pretty much anyone else. Because we have a working relationship, so I have to be honest to get the most out of him. You know, there's things that you have to be humble and admit that, you know, might not make you feel like a great man at times, but you've got to do it to get to the bottom of the problem. That's what I do with him.

GORDON SIMPSON: Do you find it difficult to bare your soul to someone?

NICK DOUGHERTY: No, I find it quite easy. That's the thing; to get most out of it, I have to be honest. If I hold back the most important thing I need to tell him it's just great, I spew it all out and he picks the bones out of it and we talk about it together and we set it straight in our head, my head. It's not trickery. It's not changing the way you think. It's seeing things how they really are, rather than the bias we as individuals put on it.

Q. What did your dad think?

NICK DOUGHERTY: I got some decent results and then he kind of knew because it became known in the press and what have you.

Yeah, if it works, stuck with it, simple as that. Whatever wins tournament, I'll do it. Whether it means I have to putt with one foot off the floor. I just want to get the best out of myself and I think he understands that helps me and means that I'm behind him, as well.

Q. Do you have an example?

NICK DOUGHERTY: There's times when I'll come off the course and no one should admit they blew a score because they lost their temper and packed off and decide it's time to go home. So many times on the course, you don't really mean it, but the fact you're saying it, it plants bad thoughts in your head. I hate doing that because it's not professional. I'd like to think I'm professional in what I do, but when it gets the better of me, just admit to him that I've completely failed at what I'm trying to achieve mentally. I gave in because it's not really something like, you know, I think I ever do, and obviously at times you do. When you feel weak and they get the better of you, certain moments get the better of you and you collapse mentally and then physically. That's difficult and it's not something you'd like to tell someone. No one likes to admit they are a lesser man because a real man would take it on the chin, get up right and do it the next time. I think most people don't. I think even most amateur golfers, the majority of amateur golfers would find that even if they shoot bad scores, they miss a putt from three feet on the first, would think, "I'm not playing well today." It's exactly that kind of mentality.

Q. Has your stroke average come down?

NICK DOUGHERTY: It is really important because on the Order of Merit yeah, sure, probably my best stroke average. Although the last few events have been pretty poor. I've definitely improved in every way, really. Because I work with him, and the fitness side of it as well, I work a lot harder. You've got to have the whole package.

Q. Has Jamil saved you a certain number of shots?

NICK DOUGHERTY: No how many would I say? It's hard to say. I mean, sometimes when I don't do what we worked on, none. When I stick to it for at least two or three, I think Singapore, probably won me the tournament. One of the decisive factors that won me the tournament, so it's priceless in that way. You can't quantify that, I suppose.

GORDON SIMPSON: And the details.

NICK DOUGHERTY: Two birdies, two bogeys. I started on 10. I played pretty solid, only real good chance I had on the first few holes was on 15. Missed from about eight feet there for birdie.

16, missed the fairway right and no chance to get up, chipped it on, missed the putt.

Made a great par on 18. Hit it in the grandstand from the third, fairway bunker off the tee, hacked it out, 4 iron in the stand and got a good drop there in the drop zone and up and downed it.

Front nine, I played really quite nicely. Hit some good solid shots. A great 3 iron into the third; it's playing so long, that hole today, and the pin is on front as well; and I hit it on to about ten foot and made it well, maybe 15 feet, I suppose.

And then should have birdied 4 but didn't.

5, again, is a driver, 4 iron, I hit it to about ten foot and made it again.

Then a sloppy swing; double crossed it on 7, and 6 iron. Trying to hold it against the breeze on the right and came over the top of it, turned it over, and because it went that way, went long into the thick stuff.

I did quite well to make sure, I suppose because I had a horrendous lie and missed a short one on the last one, hit a driver, difficult shot to about five feet and the wind blew it over the hill.

But all in all, 72 is a great score today, and I'd even say this afternoon, if it clears up, it is not a bad score, especially when you tee off leading the tournament.

Q. What goals do you have for the rest of the year?

NICK DOUGHERTY: I'd like to I'd really like to play in the Open. I'd like to play in at least two majors. Obviously, it was winning at start of the year, and I'd like to think I could win at least two or three times this year. I think that would be a great year. So that, playing in the Open would be great, St. Andrews. Something I would love to do.

End of FastScripts.

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297