CHORLEY'S Nick Dougherty breathed a sigh of relief and awarded himself a two-week lay-off after earning a place in the Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Despite finishing seventh at last month's United States Open the 25-year-old from Liverpool was still in danger of missing out on golf's next major.
But rounds of 64 and 69 in the European qualifier at Sunningdale - an event full of controversy and even an official apology earlier in the day - sent Dougherty sailing through on seven under par.
"I'd already pulled out of this week's European Open and now I'm not going to play at Loch Lomond next week either," he said.
"I'm flat out and found it very hard to keep my head. It's time to take a break."
With only 16 of the 120-strong field going through Dougherty admitted he was starting to panic when he dropped shots during an afternoon and evening of torrential downpours, but he had enough in the hand from the opening round.
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