Chris Wood and MP69

Chris Wood, from Bristol, produced a sensational chip at the last reminiscent of Justin Rose on the exact same hole 10 years ago as he closed in on the Silver Medal awarded to the highest ranked amateur at the Open.

Twenty-year-old Wood was no more than three shots off the Open lead on the last day until his progress was interrupted by a trio of bogeys from the 11th. In the end, he tacked a 72 to earlier scores of 75, 70 and 73 for a total of 290 which, he would have noted a little wistfully, would have earned him £180,000 had he been playing as a professional.

In his last round, which was with Ian Poulter, Wood shrugged off any nerves after the first tee. He looked at the leaderboards and enjoyed every minute of the last lap of what he would later describe as "the best week of my life".

His sister, Abi, who was on holiday in Prague, had been blissfully unaware that her brother had even made the cut. On the Saturday, she texted him to ask: "Are you still at that golf thingy?"

Chris Wood will make his long awaited return from a back injury at the Africa Open next month.

The 24-year-old has not featured in tournament play since the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in September.

Wood underwent treatment on the injury and was forced to withdraw from a number of tournaments. It meant he fell just short of the top 60 in the Race to Dubai but would not have be fit enough to feature in the season finale in any event.

He began chipping on the range at the end of November and upped his rehabilitation through December.

Wood said he now feels in great shape ahead of the tournament at East London Golf Club, in South Africa, which starts on January 5.

“It has been quite a frustrating few months but I’m feeling in good shape heading towards the New Year," he said.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on the range and am really looking forward to getting back to tournament golf in South Africa.”

Wood finished in a tie for second at the event in January 2011 after he and Manuel Quiros lost out to ISM's Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off. The 2010 Open champion holed out from eight feet in the first extra hole to take the title.

His IRONS AND SPECS
Irons	MP-63 (3/4), MizunoMP-69 Irons(5-PW)
Shaft	Rifle 7.0
Length	+1
Grip	Tour Velvet 58
Tape	2 tapes
Lie	3 degree up