Talking Point: Docherty causes a buzz at PGA Tour Canada event

Alistair Docherty has avoided many hazards on the golf course.

But the Union High School graduate found himself in one Thursday that really stung.

Docherty stepped on a hornets nest while searching for his errant tee shot on the seventh hole during the first round of a PGA Tour Canada event in Edmonton. Docherty, who shot a 6-over 77, wrote about the painful experience for the PGA Tour’s official website.

“I hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps into the long stuff when I must have stepped on a hornets’ nest. Maybe it was a wasps’ nest. I’m not sure. All I know is these insects had long stingers.

“I had clearly disturbed them, and they weren’t happy. The first thing I saw were wasps right in front of my face. It seemed to me that were a good 50-plus of them — and they all seemed very interested in me. Once I knew what was happening, I ran out of there pretty quickly. I don’t know that I’ve moved that fast in awhile. Unfortunately, I got stung, I’m guessing, eight to 10 times — on my forehead, on my right arm and through the shirt on my back.

“I was wearing a hat, but I didn’t have sunglasses on because with the clouds I didn’t need them. Once the siege ended, I realized how glad I was that the wasps didn’t sting me in the eyes.

“Immediately, a bunch of people came to check on me, and someone put some sort of cream on my forehead, on my back and on my arm. That was a good thing because before that, I was about to rub some dirt on the stings. I’m not sure what the cream was, maybe a hydrocortisone of some sort. Whatever it was, it helped. I also took some Benadryl. I was in so much pain that I was going to take whatever they were giving me. … this ordeal was a first for me, and I suppose the big question is the same one some people have already asked me: Why didn’t I withdraw from the tournament?

“There were a lot of words under my breath and a lot of thoughts in my mind after the incident happened. But quitting is not who I am and not who I ever wanted to be. Withdrawing never really entered my thinking.”

I played hockey growing up, and I always felt like you get a couple dings here and there and you battle through it. This time, it wasn’t dings but stings.”

Docherty missed the cut despite shooting 1-under Friday. He has played in seven tournaments in his second season on the Canadian Tour, ranking No. 104 with $2,445 in earnings.