Dougherty Blows Last Junior Event

Playing in his last junior event, Nick Faldo's protege Nick Dougherty could not hold on to his third-round lead in the Junior Orange Bowl International Championship at the Biltmore Golf Course in Coral Gables, Florida.

Dougherty eventually finished a stroke adrift of Californian Kevin Na's winning total of 278, six under par, with Na only playing in the event due to a travel agent's mix-up - he had intended to stay at home during the championship.

"I just didn't play well," admitted 18-year-old Dougherty from Lancashire after the battle for the title stretched the full 72 holes. "I didn't get the putts to drop. I didn't hit the ball too badly, I just couldn't get it turned on."

Dougherty, who is a member of this year's GB&I Walker Cup squad, enjoyed a
successful junior career which included the captaincy of the England boys'
team and victories in the European under-21 and world junior championships
and the AJGA Junior Polo Golf Classic.

"It would have been nice to finish with a win, but golf is a funny game,"