Wood filled with pride after close call at Turnberry

Turnberry: Unheralded Briton Chris Wood produced the round of his life at the British Open, coming within a whisker of claiming a shock victory in the year`s third major.In testing conditions, the 21-year-old Englishman fired a three-under-par 67 to end the final round just one stroke short of joining Americans Tom Watson and Stewart Cink in a playoff.

"I just felt so proud of myself to stay in every shot," Wood told reporters after posting a one-under total of 279 on Turnberry`s Ailsa Course to share third place with compatriot Lee Westwood. "I knew exactly where I wanted to hit every shot and I felt like I did that." A costly bogey at the par-four last came after Wood failed to get up and down from behind the green after hitting an adrenalin-fuelled approach. "I have never hit a nine-iron 210 yards in my life, so probably a little bit of adrenalin, a bit of a flier," Wood said of his second shot. "I hit a good shot and it landed on the line exactly how I wanted. It just absolutely went miles." Despite overshooting the green with his approach, the confident Englishman felt he still had a chance of Open glory. Difficult Shot "I thought, well, I`ve hit this shot (the chip) so many times I actually fancied to hole it," he said. "It`s difficult to play a shot out of the thick rough when you`re nervous.” "I hit as good a shot as I can and hit a great putt, it just didn`t go in for me." Wood, who turned professional after tying for fifth in last year`s British Open at Royal Birkdale, came into this week with four top-10 finishes in his debut season on the European Tour. "I think it`s better (than last year)," he said of his Turnberry display. "To follow it up as a professional is about as good as I could have hoped for.” "Last year (at Birkdale) I think helped me an awful lot today. It is weird to think I`m only 21 and I`ve contended in two majors already.” "The experiences I`ve got out of the Open ... they`re going to be amazing for my career." An added bonus for the Briton was his third-place cheque for 255,000 pounds (USD 415,800), easily the largest of his fledgling career. "I`ve just got a new flat and I need to pay the rent for that, so I should be all right," he said with a smile. Bureau Report