DUNHILL CUP
Mark Woods
Scotland’s hub at Ratho, Edinburgh, three years ago in her quest to hit the heights.
Everything since she took up the sport at the age of 13 has been about making it big in Japan – knowing that the Olympics that will fall perfectly in her career prime will take place in Tokyo.
She said: “2020 has always been there – that’s always been my aim. I’ll be 25 then.
“I’ve not looked at where it would be or what the venue is l ike. I’m solely focused on getting there. But I need to make a name for myself on the world circuit.”
The 57kg fighter landed a bronze at the European Cup in Bratislava earlier this year. She added: “What it meant is that al l the training, all the hours, all the hard work I’ve put in are progressing into something positive. But, like every athlete, you want more.”
If Wilson needed any more inspiration to achieve her dreams then pal and fellow Scot Sally Conway provided it with a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in August.
Wilson said: “I didn’t see much of it because I was crying so much. She’s such an inspiration. I was at the Edinburgh Judo Club with a lot of people to watch it and it was incredible.
“We’re very close but she’s been on holiday and I was in Japan. So I’m looking forward to seeing Sally and seeing the medal up close.
“I don’t know anyone who deserves it more – and it makes me think I can do it.
“She’s my inspiration. It makes me want even more to go out and do the same.”
Much like a successful gambler, the secret to top-level golf is knowing when to walk away.
Nick Dougherty did just that yesterday as the former Dunhill Links champion chose the favourite of his European Tour wins to bid farewell to a playing career that scaled the heights then scraped the barrel.
So much so it went from playing with Tiger Woods in the third round at the 2007 US Open en route to a tied-seventh finish to teeing up at an obscure Challenge Tour event.
Now the Englishman has found a new role in golf that inspires him in the way winning used to.
As the latest recruit to Sky Sports’ team of experts, the 34-year- old impressed during their Ryder Cup coverage and now a very different career beckons in partnership with his wife, presenter Di Dougherty.
A one-over 73 at Carnoustie will go down as his final professional round having missed the cut in only his second tournament of the season.
Of course it would have been nice to wave goodbye on the Swilcan Bridge at St Andrews today, although Dougherty still had his moment at the Old Course 48 hours earlier with his wife and caddy, pictured right.
He said: “Friday at St Andrews was quite emotional. Not finishing my round but halfway through because I’d teed off on the back nine.
“It was hard to keep focus. The place is not just about golf for me. Di and I got married there and as a kid I used to go there with my mum and dad for holidays most years.
“It’s been a very special place and been good to me in terms of winning the Dunhill in 2007. It just felt like the right place to stop playing.
“I knew the decision was coming – it was just a matter of when. Of course I wrestled with it for a long time because part of me felt almost guilty for doing it.
“Since I was four years of age I’ve played golf. I don’t remember ever choosing to be a pro golfer – my dad was always on at me to do it.
“From that point of view I thought, ‘I can’t really stop playing’. But that felt awful because it felt like I was backed into a corner.
“It seems I have a skill in another area and I really enjoy it. Last week when I stood in front of the touchscreen for the first time live on air I felt nervous.
“But as soon as the camera swung round I was excited and got into it. I remember that buzz when I started playing golf whereas the nerves I feel on the course is more fear. On Friday at St Andrews I stood on that 18th tee thinking, ‘ That thing owns me’.
“I’ve hit some shocking drives off that tee. It started from the year I won the Dunhill when I hit a clanger down the left. Since then I’ve hit some horrors. I mean, I hit into the buildings last year.
“I stood there on Friday thinking, ‘ This isn’t the way you want to finish Nick’. Thankfully I gunned it down there, which was great.”
The reason he was able to blast it down the middle was because he w a s