DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

March 6, 2003

Nick Dougherty

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, Nick, well done today. A nice round, 67, good way to start, an eagle and four birdies. I see this is your seventh tournament making a cut; maybe you can finish a bit higher.

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, four is the most is the most I've done, which I think most pros base their consistency by how many times they compete and always making the cut is a sign of consistency.

This year, I've played a real mixture of really good golf and unfortunately, I keep throwing in like a 73 or 72, nothing really drastic obviously because I'm making the cuts, but I know that's put me out of having a chance to win. I'm playing great golf. I played great golf -- I played great in Melbourne and maybe I was trying to force it a bit because I was trying to get that first win so much.

Yeah, I'm pretty pleased. It feels weird because I'm not actually hitting the ball very well. My swing has come together gradually. I'm hitting a lot of miss-hit shots, but they are not too drastically off-line which is why my scores are okay. Today I shot 5-under par and pretty disappointed with my ball-striking. Didn't make a whole lot of putts until the last few holes, but consistency is good and I drove the ball well, which is crucial out here.

GORDON SIMPSON: You are learning the art of scoring.

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, that's what separates the good players from the real great players. I'm sure Ernie Els has gone out and not hit the ball as well as he'd like to and still turned in a 67, 66 and that's what made him more successful. It's almost more satisfying going out and shooting 67, which is like tied third when I really have not hit the ball all that solid. Yeah, that's really pleasing, but the at same time, every golfer wants to strike every single tee shot, make every putt. But as long as I keep going the way I am, I felt like I am gradually getting better, working with Pete (Cowen) and gradually making progress. It's one of those things where my swing is very gradually coming and that's what I'm trying to do at the moment.

Q. (Did you enjoy 2 weeks in Oz?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: Absolutely, two weeks partying in Australia, it was great. I played six in a row, which is -- it's not physically tiring, you all know this, but it's more mentally tiring. And I put myself under a lot of strain with the golf I was playing. It was quite nice just to get a break from it because I really have not had a break since I went out to Australia before Christmas, been non-stop, and it was for a golf tournament. Then went up to the States and practiced very hard, so I literally have not had a break since the start of November, and that's a lot of golf. Just to be able to put the sticks away for a week and a half and party like a 20-year-old does, it was a nice break, and of course it made me hungry when I came here. I could not wait after having some time off. Could not wait to get a club in my hand.

I was watching the world Match-play on the telly. I wanted to get back in time -- it was on at six o'clock in the morning, so I made it back in time to watch that every day, anyway.

Q. How do you find the fans with all of the young girls out there?

NICK DOUGHERTY: Didn't notice.

Q. Didn't notice? There were a lot of girls following you.

NICK DOUGHERTY: To be honest, I really don't notice. I'm being quite honest about it, I think.

Yeah, I think it's a reflection of golf appealing to more people, a lot of people do come to watch, especially back in Britain and Australia, as well. There's a lot of youngsters who come and watch and try and learn and I think that's great. And the females, it's a bonus.

Q. (Why the red in your hair?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: Not sure -- red, the Red Devils (Manchester United). My dad cut it off because it was getting too long. He said it was looking very untidy, hung it out the back and cut. So I decided I should get it cut. I think -- it's so boring after I have some time off, I'll do something different. The sponsors, they like it. It's a young image. I don't think it's scruffy looking. I think it's different but I quite like it. The feedback, Callaway likes it, as well, and that's important.

Q.( How much did the cut cost?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: I think it was in Australia -- 220 dollars. But it was an Australian guy. (Laughter.) I think I'm going it try to get the most out of it while I can, while I've got it.

Q. (Still using your dad's driver?

NICK DOUGHERTY: My driver, really, really happy with them. It's the best I've ever driven the ball, hitting it very straight with the driver. Very pleased with the work I've done. It was good at the time. I think doing so much work on the range, trying to find the perfect driver and I started hitting harder and harder and harder and that wasn't how I was swinging on the golf course. I've taken a driver that can perform well, so it doesn't really matter where it goes and I'm not beating the daylights out of it. As soon as I was getting on the golf course, it was a little bit too stiff for me so was going a little bit too far with it.

Q. (How important is a good caddie?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, Damian, (ph), the caddie is very important. If you've got a good one, he's very important. He's not just a bag carrier; he goes around, gives you yardages. He's great. He makes a lot of decisions for me, as well. Maybe like the bogey at the second send, which I drove it short of the green and missed the pitch shot , and then the par 5, just kind of settled me down and that's when a good caddie comes in. That's what separates them from the rest, in close situations; and he's there and he says the right thing at the right time. That's what a good caddie does, as well, which is obvious.

Q. (Are you playing in Qatar?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: Yes, definitely. I played great -- I love the course. It suits me. It's going to be great. You can't really let what's going on in the world get in the way of what you want to do. I think it's great that everyone keeps going, and you get the likes of Ernie Els here, I don't think it's dangerous here. It's great when Ernie Els comes to support it, it's the right thing to do. I've got no concerns next week. Might be stuck there for a few weeks -- (laughing). Yeah, I'm fine flying out there.

Q. (Is it a worry next week?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: Well, I honestly believe that the Tour wouldn't endanger their players. If the tour feels it's safe to go -- I know you should make your own mind up, I'm biased, but I really want to go back there as well. Who knows, this could go on for months and months and months and who knows what's going to happen. I'm not going it let that get in the way of my goals. Next week might be the week I win, and if I pull out, I'll never know that. I'm comfortable going back there, but you've got to stick by what you've got to do, haven't you? You can't quantify -- you don't know what's going to happen.

Q. (What does your dad think?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: He wants me to go, yeah. The thing is, if it was obvious that something bad is going to happen, it would be a lot easier to make that decision, but I think you've just got to try to get on with your life.

I spoke to them about it. IMG was more, it's your choice. Maybe it might have been better preparation to take next week off and go out there, as well, but it's a big week for me and I'm looking forward to it. My dad believes I should go, as well.

Q. (What's the Bay Hill connection? Palmer?)

NICK DOUGHERTY: I have actually no idea. Arnold Palmer is with IMG -- I think so. I really want to get in that tournament. I know the course like the back of my hand. I've spent a lot of time in Florida. I know IMG is working real hard trying to get me that invite, and I'd certainly be delighted if I could. There's quite a big gap tournament-wise, but it would be lovely to go and play it.

Q. (When you turned pro you wanted to be the best....)

NICK DOUGHERTY: The best in the world.

Q. Put it the other way -- how much progress have you made?

NICK DOUGHERTY: I've made a lot of progress since I've turned pro. You can see that by the results this year to a certain degree , by playing badly and be able to still stay in there. I'm a bit more mature, knowing what to do and when to do it. I know how to behave out here. I think you pretty much have to do that anyways. I've learned a lot. I've kept my eyes open and ears open, as well, and listened to people who have been here a lot longer than me.

Now, there's a long way to go yet. There's a lot of great players. You look at the golf that Ernie Els plays and Tiger plays, I'm not there yet but I'm doing the right things that will get me there. So if I keep working the way I am, there's going to be other things after that as well -- I told Pete, if I push myself to my limit in the next ten years, I'll be able answer to those questions when I finish. If I have, I've done it the right way, and if I haven't -- if I keep doing the things I'm doing, try to do them better and better and better, I'll get there.

Q. Who were you partying with out there?

NICK DOUGHERTY: One of my mates is out there actually from back home. I love Australia. It's one of my favorite places to go. I've got a lot of friends there. It was great. It was lovely to chill out in Australia in Bondi like a 20-year-old.

I did play golf -- for two weeks -- you have a club in your hand every day of your life, so I didn't want to be completely rusty, a little bit, but it was lovely. It was great.

GORDON SIMPSON: Well done.

NICK DOUGHERTY: Thanks.

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