Nick loses his playboy tag

The transition to the professional ranks was smooth and in 2002 Dougherty was voted Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year following a maiden season on the European Tour, when he won more than £365,000.

Peter McEvoy, the former Walker Cup captain and British golf 's greatest talent scout, singled out Dougherty as the cream of a crop of promising youngsters that included future Ryder Cup players Paul Casey and Luke Donald.

"Nick has been given the gift," he said.

But the gift was being squandered. Faldo, who had taken Dougherty under his wing, christened his star pupil "Little Nick". Ominously, friends had another nickname for him, "Georgie", after George Best, because away from the golf course this tall, handsome lad loved to party.

They were carefree days and Dougherty insists he has no regrets.

He said: "I wouldn't change anything I've done, because it was a learning experience. I know there were times I was playing badly and people were thinking I was a young lad having too much of a good time. I just had to take that on the chin."

A debilitating bout of glandular fever didn't help, but a golfer so rich in potential was succumbing more to the excesses of the high life.

In the nick of time, Dougherty realised he needed to change both personally and professionally.

For a new swing he went to David Leadbetter, the coaching guru who transformed Faldo's game. For physical fitness he hired former British martial arts champion Ron Cuthbert. And to sort himself out mentally he went to Qureshi.

Dougherty said: "Most of the work I do with Jamil is with regard to my personal life, because in creating a balance in my personal life I should be able to get a balance in my complete life including my career.

"The first time I met Jamil I was sitting there thinking he was going to pull out a little wand. But he has this soothing voice and he puts me into a state of complete relaxation.

"I'm still conscious so I hear everything. And I remember everything he tells me, positive things about me and my game."

Seven weeks ago, with Qureshi's help, Dougherty conjured up his first win on the European Tour by the decisive margin of five shots in the Caltex Singapore Masters. And he did it despite intense pressure from those two giants of the game, Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn.

Dougherty, sixth in Dubai on Sunday and now competing in this week's Qatar Masters, recalled: "Going into the last day in Singapore, Jamil told me 'you're good enough to beat these guys'.

"When Jamil put me under he made a point of reminding me how I was beating them at the end of the third day, and that I was the one holding the lead going into the last round. When he brought me out I was able to realise that it was me in the position of strength."

"When I won it was almost as if somebody upstairs had gone 'yeah, let him see he's taken the right course'. And I'm very thankful for that."

In an age when so many young professional sportsmen buckle under the pressures of fame, Dougherty is proof that it is possible to climb back and again stand tall among peers.

He said: "The best night out I ever had was the night after I won in Singapore. It wasn't a big night, but I was able to tell myself I was a winner and guys were coming up and congratulating me and showing respect for what I had achieved.

"That meant so much to me."