Alistair Docherty's Korn Ferry Tour campaign veered off script after a promising start. The real shift didn't come from a new clubhead or shaft. It started with a grip change that rewired his putting and rewrote his career trajectory.
By the end of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season, Docherty had made nearly 100 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour but only six on the PGA Tour, highlighting his persistence before finally earning his card.
Practice with a wedge broke the deadlock. Docherty noticed he could grip the wedge without fussing over hand position or searching for a flat spot. He cut his putter shaft to just under his 60-degree wedge and swapped in a standard grip. The first test run? "Pretty much hooped all day."
He brought the new putter to the Argentina Open and left with a win. That single result locked up enough points for a PGA Tour card. The PGA Tour announcement on September 10, 2026, confirmed Docherty as "TourBound" for 2027, ranked 7th on the Korn Ferry points list with 1,369.961 points.
Docherty's win at the 119th Visa Argentina Open in March 2026 at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires came after rounds of 63, 66, 64, and 65, totaling 258 strokes (22 under par) and clinching victory by a single shot with a birdie on the 72nd hole.
Docherty's willingness to experiment with equipment, even at the highest level, stands out. He heads into his rookie PGA Tour season with a grip-first mindset and a putter that fits his hands, not the textbook.
