Dougherty sticks by schedule

Englishman aims to make Ryder Cup team to honour late mother

Last updated: 7th May 2008

dougherty nick

Dougherty: Will play in Italy

Nick's mum wanted him to do all he could to try to make the Ryder Cup team and so, after much consideration, Nick has decided to stick to his planned playing schedule for the year.

Brendan Taylor (Dougherty's manager)
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Nick Dougherty has opted to stick with his playing schedule for the season despite the recent death of his mother.

It means the 25-year-old will play in this week's Italian Open even though he was attending the family funeral on Merseyside on Tuesday.

Ennis Dougherty died at the age of 61 two weeks ago having suffered a heart attack whilst on holiday in Florida.

Dougherty was playing at the Verizon Heritage in South Carolina at the time but, lying joint tenth heading into the final round, pulled out of the tournament to be with her.

He and brother Marcus, a banker who works in New York, were at her bedside with their father when she did pass away.

Dougherty's forthcoming playing plans were understandably unclear following the bereavement, but it has now been confirmed he will stick by his schedule.

Indeed, he revealed it was his mother's desire to see him qualify for the Ryder Cup later in the year that had motivated him to do so.

"Nick's mum wanted him to do all he could to try to make the Ryder Cup team and so, after much consideration, Nick has decided to stick to his planned playing schedule for the year," Dougherty's manager Brendan Taylor explained.

As a result the 25-year-old will play in Milan this week, after that he will take a week off, then play the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and Wales Open at Celtic Manor before taking another week off to prepare for the US Open at Torrey Pines in California.

Although he could have opted to miss Wednesday's pro-am at Castello di Tolcinasco Golf Club in the circumstances, it has been confirmed he will also attend the warm-up for Thursday's European Tour event.