Canadian-born golfer Alistair Docherty will return to his homeland later this month thanks to a potentially career-altering result on the PGA Tour on Sunday.
Docherty finished in a tie for second in the Myrtle Beach Classic while playing on a sponsor's exemption in the opposite-field event, which was taking place while most of the tour's stars were at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Playing for just the second time in his career on the PGA Tour, Docherty, 30, earned a spot in the RBC Canadian Open later this month in Hamilton by virtue of his top-10 finish.
Docherty was born in Saint John, N.B., and moved with his family to Vancouver as a young child. At age seven, the family moved to Washington state.
While he hasn't lived north of the border for most of his life, Docherty is proud of his Canadian roots. While in high school in 2012, he told Oregon Live: "I consider myself Canadian. I'm proud to be a Canadian."
On Sunday, Docherty was very emotional, saying he was crying with his mom after shooting 7-under 64 to make him 16 under for the tournament.
"I would love to win, but I needed to put myself in contention and make sure that I could finish in the top 10 in order to keep going, and what better way to go back to Canada," Docherty, who finished six shots behind winner Chris Gotterup, told reporters. "I haven't been back in a long time, and maybe some of my family from back east will be able to come over.
"I'm so excited. I'm so excited."
On his 30th birthday on March 20, some of his pals surprised him with news that he had received a sponsor's exemption to Myrtle Beach during a fun weekend round.
Docherty has been playing on the Korn Ferry Tour the past two seasons after leaving the competitive side of the sport for close to two years, primarily caddying back home in Arizona.
He finished 86th on the Korn Ferry Tour last year and had made just three of seven cuts this year before his breakthrough result on Sunday. Docherty earned $356,000 for the runner-up showing, more than double his career earnings at tour-sanctioned events.
"This is what we always want, just a chance," Docherty said. "Just a chance and take advantage, and I did it. There's been times where who knows if I was going to keep playing, who knows if I was going to be able to financially be able to do it, let alone get status in order to do it, and to receive the sponsor exemption and take advantage is unbelievable. It's awesome."
Now, Docherty gets to tee it up at a national championship in the country of his birth.
He was asked what he's most looking forward to.
"Going to Toronto and wearing my Canucks jersey."
