Alistair Docherty vying for vindication at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Alistair Docherty is ready for redemption. But right now, he's just trying to beat himself.

Two months after missing out on a PGA TOUR card at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance by one single putt, Docherty is tied for the lead at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, where TOUR cards will be awarded to the top five finishers and ties.

The 30-year-old Docherty entered the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship at No. 46 on the Points List, on the outside looking in at the top-30 bubble earning 2025 PGA TOUR cards. Needing a two-way T2 to seal a spot in the top 30, Docherty shot a 4-under 68 to finish in a three-way tie for second, just missing the threshold and finishing at No. 32.

"I knew what I had to do at the Tour Championship and I came up one shot short," he reflected afterward. "You can't leave it up to someone else's putt to determine your future ... And obviously, you could think of all the what-ifs but it's just next opportunity mindset, and go from there ... I know that I've trended upwards and kept getting better every single year. And that's all you could ask for."

It was a scathing close call in a year of close calls. The Canadian-born Docherty, who played Division II golf at California State University-Chico, was granted a sponsor exemption into the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic, where he finished T2 — one spot away from a TOUR card.

So what did he do after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship?

He caddied for a friend, Conrad Isley, at First Stage of Q-School. He played golf with some buddies. And by the time Final Stage of Q-School (where he received an exemption via a top-60 finish in the Korn Ferry Tour Points List) rolled around, he felt confident.

Docherty opened Final Stage with a 1-over 71 at the more difficult Sawgrass Country Club (the field plays two rounds at Sawgrass Country Club and two rounds at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course).

"I hit it kind of terrible," he said about Thursday's round, with a twinkle in his eye. "I chipped and putted really well. I knew that that would flip a switch. My game is mostly ball-striking ... if the putts fall, I usually have a pretty good round. Yesterday I was just grinding, keeping myself in it."

And boy did the switch flip.

On a day where the winds whirled around northeast Florida, where the average score at Dye's Valley hovered around three strokes over par, Docherty carded six birdies to two bogeys for a 4-under 66 and 3-under total. He's tied for the lead with Corey Shaun and Matthew Riedel.

He made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 and made the turn in 2-under 33, then added birdies on the 202-yard par-3 14th and short par-4 15th. He saved bogey on No. 17 and converted a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole to seal the low round of the day from either course.

Docherty was the model of consistency, hitting 14 of 18 greens in regulation — six more than Thursday, despite the windy conditions.

I just truly believe that things happen for a reason and timing is everything," Docherty said. "If it's going to happen this week, it's going to happen this week. I'm just trying to stay focused on the process and go through my routine. And I'm battling myself out there. That's my No. 1 goal, beat myself and the opportunity will happen."