Dougherty's mission to turn the talk into results

Europe's Rookie of The Year reflects on a season when his huge potential was revealed as well as opportunities missed

One of the most impressive performances by Nick Dougherty in the season where he became the Rookie of the Year on the European Tour came not on the golf course but at a dinner at the Open Championship. In front of a room full of the great and good of the game Dougherty, articulate and amusing and aged 20, spoke on behalf of the 2001 Walker Cup team, who were being honoured.

Rarely has a young British sportsman expressed himself so naturally. "It went down great and I got a buzz out of doing it," recalled Dougherty, who was schooled in the art of speechmaking by his father from the age of 12. "It was a great chance for me to thank a few people in front of the press and try to promote the future of British golf, especially with David Toms and David Duval there." Dougherty is not just a fine young golfer but, in the modern parlance, is media friendly. His winning the Sir Henry Cotton Salver last week was a boon to The Edge, an indoor golf centre in the City of London, which opened officially on Thursday. The simulators in the club are the most advanced around, developed over two years by two PhD students.

Dougherty seemed the obvious choice as ambassador for the centre. "He's the future," said the club manager, Rupert Fisher. "He's an outgoing character and we had heard he was good with the media." It is safe to say that Nick Faldo, aged 20, would not have been approached.

Faldo is something of a mentor to Dougherty and when he heard the younger Nick's nickname with the caddies was "George", as in George Best, he thought a rollicking was in order. Dougherty seems mature enough to realise a good story can get out of hand. "We had two weeks off in Sydney away from golf, a few players in one apartment and some caddies in another," he said.

"During the first week we partied into the early hours, the not so early hours occasionally. I had just had my first top 10 and we had a great time. Of course, because I was the youngest, I got the nickname 'George'. The other week I didn't do it again, I went and practised.

"Some of the lads call me it. I don't mind. I had it on the back of my cap at one stage but I took it off. It's not what I want to be known as. I'm 20 years old, I love my life but I don't let my social life interrupt my golf. I enjoy myself when I'm at home. But during a tournament I'm there to do a job and I get the job done.

"There was an article that said I was a hell-raising party animal. That's annoying because it came across that I was out partying every night during a tournament and that's not the case."

Peter McEvoy, a man whom Dougherty respects highly as his Walker Cup captain, recently suggested some of the new youngsters on tour had under performed. "You will see a big improvement when he knuckles down," McEvoy said of Dougherty. The youngster was initially hurt but accepts there are areas where he can improve. "There is truth to say I could be more professional if I can learn from certain things. For example, instead of going out for a meal and having steak and chips, I could eat better. It's the sort of things that Nick Faldo or Tiger Woods would do. But if I have achieved what I have this year with some flaws then I know I can improve next year.

"I don't know if I was delighted or relieved to win the rookie award. I put a lot of pressure on myself as it is the only thing in my career that I will only get one shot at. I got a lot of good press when I turned professional. That gave me a lot of confidence but if I don't perform they'll give me a dog of a time, which is only right."

Dougherty was second at the Qatar Masters and had a chance to win the German Masters, where he finished third. But a 36th place finish on the Order of Merit also included a number of missed cuts. "I was surprised how mentally draining the tour is," Dougherty said. "By the end of the season I was thinking like a tired golfer."

But the enthusiasm remains high. He will shortly be off to Australia for three events, then on to a holiday in Mauritius before two weeks' practice in Florida before the start of the 2003 season in South Africa. "I want my game to be sharp so I can get off to quick start and try to get that first win under my belt. I thrive on being in the limelight and often play my best against the best on the most difficult courses." That was the bit the other Nick was quite good at, too.