DOUGHERTY FACTFILE Date of Birth: 24 May 1982 Birthplace: Liverpool Height: 6ft 1in Big break: Won Faldo Junior Series 1997 Turned pro: 2001. Wins to date: none 2002: Earnt �370,000, ranked 36 2004 to date: Earnt �124,000, ranked 95

Voted best rookie in 2002, Dougherty admitted he feared for his future this year after almost losing his tour card.

"The game I had just didn't cut it. Neither did my work ethic. I was living the life of Riley and I got depressed.

"Golf had never made me cry before, but it did a couple of times this year," admitted the 22-year-old former Walker Cup player, a protege of Nick Faldo.

"I was a 19, 20 and 21-year-old and it was fun. My old man had been quite strict with me in a good way, but all of a sudden I had money.

"I liked it far too much. I wouldn't say golf was second place, but it was not ahead of everything else.

"I slackened off for a couple of years. A load of people said stuff and it almost drove me to do the opposite.

"I don't know whether it was stubbornness, but I like making my own choices.

I didn't appreciate how much time I was wasting - I needed a kick up the backside Nick Dougherty Academy: Dougherty's masterclass

"This is my own business - Nick Dougherty plc."

Dougherty, who slid from 36th on the Order of Merit to 60th last season following a bout of glandular fever, said he had "never felt pressure like it" after almost losing his card this year.

He secured it with a sixth place finish at the German Masters two weeks ago.

"It's brought on my stress and I don't deserve any pity for getting it because I brought it on myself," he added.

"My friends away from golf are different - the weekend comes and it's partytime. If there's something going on I don't like to miss out. But it was a bad mistake.

"I got to the end of last year and almost felt pleased with finishing 60th.

"But I only got there because of one second place in Sweden. It makes you feel sick knowing how much time your family is putting into it. Relationships suffered, but it was a kick up the backside.

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"You all know you can't do that and get away with it, but I didn't appreciate how much time I was wasting."

Dougherty, known as 'Little Nick' because of the relationship he struck up as a youngster with Faldo, admitted it took a word from the six-time major champion to set him straight.

"I have the utmost respect for him and he had a quiet word with me because he said he had heard things," said Dougherty.

It all made him realise that action had to be taken, not only on his lifestyle but also with his swing.

As Faldo did in the mid-1980s, and Ian Poulter and Justin Rose more recently, he turned to swing coach David Leadbetter.

"When Ian and Justin changed their swings they had an exemption and that makes it a lot easier.

"My previous swing was good enough to get me second places, but to get where I want to go I had to change," Dougherty added.

"It's been a rubbish year, but I've got through it unscathed and I've done what I had to do with my swing. It's come on a lot and I trust it a bit more now."

Now he is thinking big again.