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This is Bristol
After the emotional rollercoaster of finishing as top
amateur in the world's most prestigious golf tournament, the
Big hand: Chris back at Long Ashton
return home was like waking up from a glorious dream.
The leafy calm of Long Ashton replaced the wild winds of
Royal Birkdale as Chris Wood dropped into the golf club where
he started playing more than 11 years ago.
"embedded=true&config=http%3a%2f%2fmedia.ThisIsBristol.co.uk%2fTSPlayer%2fJSON.aspx%3fid%3d4720%26embedded%3dtrue" menu="false" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" bgcolor="#000000" style="" src= "http://media.ThisIsBristol.co.uk/tsplayer/videoplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> The 20-year-old from Nailsea burst onto the international scene over the weekend, finishing joint fifth at The Open and winning the Silver Medal for the highest-placed amateur. But it was back down to earth soon afterwards – his first meal after the tournament on Sunday night was at a McDonald's restaurant. The financial pressures of being an amateur may drive Chris to turn pro – he had to spend £1,250 on a room in a B&B near the golf course for the weekend. But the Long Ashton Golf Club is holding a testimonial tournament this month to raise funds to help him pay his way. If Chris had been a professional his joint-fifth position would have netted him £180,000 in prize money. The past 48 hours have been a whirlwind of activity, with calls from sports agents and media taking up much of his time. So the familiar surroundings of the clubhouse at Long Ashton seemed a world away being surrounded by star players at one of the toughest courses around. He said: “I'm feeling pretty drained, both mentally and physically, and because I'm so tired it hasn't really sunk in yet. “The crowds, the atmosphere and the pressure were all so surreal and I have been on the phone so much since the weekend. “Now I'm back here, where it's so quiet with none of the intensity going on, it feels a bit like the weekend was a dream.” Chris paid tribute to the hundreds of friends and family members who travelled up to Lancashire to cheer him on at The Open “The support was amazing up there,” he said. “Words can't describe the feelings I felt walking up the fairway on the last hole. “But I felt so at home, I had prepared so well, I really enjoyed playing in front of so many people and now I know that I'm good enough to play in that sort of environment. “I need a couple of days in bed because the next few weeks are going to be pretty busy.” Fellow golfers and club officials were lavish in their praise for Chris and his achievements last night. Andy Fry, 43, from Long Ashton, who is helping to organise the testimonial game for Friday, August 15, said: “Chris always used to play here as a youngster and now he is a role model for all the kids playing here now. “Long Ashton has always had a knack of breeding good young players, although Chris is the first Silver Medal winner in the history of the club. “We all feel that we own a little bit of Chris because he has been part of the club for such a long time. “We are all very fond and proud of him and we feel very strongly about it – he's great for this club and his achievements have been a fantastic reward for the work he has put in.”
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The 20-year-old from Nailsea burst onto the international
scene over the weekend, finishing joint fifth at The Open and
winning the Silver Medal for the highest-placed amateur.
But it was back down to earth soon afterwards – his first
meal after the tournament on Sunday night was at a McDonald's
restaurant.
The financial pressures of being an amateur may drive Chris
to turn pro – he had to spend £1,250 on a room in a B&B
near the golf course for the weekend.
But the Long Ashton Golf Club is holding a testimonial
tournament this month to raise funds to help him pay his
way.
If Chris had been a professional his joint-fifth position
would have netted him £180,000 in prize money.
The past 48 hours have been a whirlwind of activity, with
calls from sports agents and media taking up much of his
time.
So the familiar surroundings of the clubhouse at Long Ashton
seemed a world away being surrounded by star players at one of
the toughest courses around.
He said: “I'm feeling pretty drained, both mentally and
physically, and because I'm so tired it hasn't really sunk in
yet.
“The crowds, the atmosphere and the pressure were all so
surreal and I have been on the phone so much since the
weekend.
“Now I'm back here, where it's so quiet with none of the
intensity going on, it feels a bit like the weekend was a
dream.”
Chris paid tribute to the hundreds of friends and family
members who travelled up to Lancashire to cheer him on at The
Open
“The support was amazing up there,” he said.
“Words can't describe the feelings I felt walking up the
fairway on the last hole.
“But I felt so at home, I had prepared so well, I really
enjoyed playing in front of so many people and now I know that
I'm good enough to play in that sort of environment.
“I need a couple of days in bed because the next few weeks
are going to be pretty busy.”
Fellow golfers and club officials were lavish in their
praise for Chris and his achievements last night.
Andy Fry, 43, from Long Ashton, who is helping to organise
the testimonial game for Friday, August 15, said: “Chris always
used to play here as a youngster and now he is a role model for
all the kids playing here now.
“Long Ashton has always had a knack of breeding good young
players, although Chris is the first Silver Medal winner in the
history of the club.
“We all feel that we own a little bit of Chris because he
has been part of the club for such a long time.
“We are all very fond and proud of him and we feel very
strongly about it – he's great for this club and his
achievements have been a fantastic reward for the work he has
put in.”
by John, Bristol
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 3:26PM
“I think Anne you are being rather too literal, dogmatic and, dare I say it, "stuffy". The word 'hero' is often used in a colloquial sense and just because it strays outside of the Oxford English Dictionary defintion it doesn't mean to say it is incorrect. I think for these pages you are what might be described as an 'agent provocateur'!”
by Anne H - the real one, Bristol
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 8:19AM
“He may well be a good golfer, but he is not a hero. I cannot see it is courageous going round a golf course potting a few balls. Chris, my previous comment is neither good nor bad, it is an opinion which is defined as "unproven fact" i.e. neither right nor wrong. Just because my opinion differs from yours shouldn't mean that it is wrong.”
by Chris, Bristol
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 9:58PM
“I take your point John, their are far worse examples of applied heroism out there. I still think however a 20yr amateur old pitting himself against a huge field of the worlds best players, on one of the hardest courses in the land & coming 5th takes courage, and ergo, can be constrewed as being heroic. Its certainly not worthy of criticism for the use of a word in a headline! especially from a paper belonging to the Daily Mail group! I suspect it wasnt even the 'real' Anne that posted it but I got to use the word ergo so I dont care ;) Best of luck turning Pro Mr Wood!.”
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 7:26PM
“I don't think you have to "know something" about golf to comment on the English language Chris. I know what Anne means but I wouldn't consider golf, with all its decorum and discipline, to be a good example. A far better one is football where ludicrous, finger-in-throat Sky Sport trailers, for example, attempt to portray those overpaid idiots into divine beings.”
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 6:14PM
“Huge congratulations to Chris for an awesome display & putting Bristol on the map! Birkdale is one hell of a tough course, especially with the weather the way it was early on in the tournament.Anne - if you havent got anything good to say dont bother! especially on a subject you clearly know nothing about.”
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 2:15PM
“As much as I admire what this lad has done, I think the term hero is going a bit too far. The definition in the Oxford English Dictionary for the word "hero" is "Person admired for courage". I don't think playing a few rounds of golf consitutes calling someone a hero.”
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6 Comments
by John, Bristol
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 3:26PM
“I think Anne you are being rather too literal, dogmatic and, dare I say it, "stuffy". The word 'hero' is often used in a colloquial sense and just because it strays outside of the Oxford English Dictionary defintion it doesn't mean to say it is incorrect. I think for these pages you are what might be described as an 'agent provocateur'!”
by Anne H - the real one, Bristol
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 8:19AM
“He may well be a good golfer, but he is not a hero. I cannot see it is courageous going round a golf course potting a few balls. Chris, my previous comment is neither good nor bad, it is an opinion which is defined as "unproven fact" i.e. neither right nor wrong. Just because my opinion differs from yours shouldn't mean that it is wrong.”
by Chris, Bristol
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 9:58PM
“I take your point John, their are far worse examples of applied heroism out there.
I still think however a 20yr amateur old pitting himself against a huge field of the worlds best players, on one of the hardest courses in the land & coming 5th takes courage, and ergo, can be constrewed as being heroic. Its certainly not worthy of criticism for the use of a word in a headline! especially from a paper belonging to the Daily Mail group!
I suspect it wasnt even the 'real' Anne that posted it but I got to use the word ergo so I dont care ;)
Best of luck turning Pro Mr Wood!.”
by John, Bristol
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 7:26PM
“I don't think you have to "know something" about golf to comment on the English language Chris. I know what Anne means but I wouldn't consider golf, with all its decorum and discipline, to be a good example. A far better one is football where ludicrous, finger-in-throat Sky Sport trailers, for example, attempt to portray those overpaid idiots into divine beings.”
by Chris, Bristol
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 6:14PM
“Huge congratulations to Chris for an awesome display & putting Bristol on the map! Birkdale is one hell of a tough course, especially with the weather the way it was early on in the tournament.
Anne - if you havent got anything good to say dont bother! especially on a subject you clearly know nothing about.”
by Anne H - the real one, Bristol
Tuesday, July 22 2008, 2:15PM
“As much as I admire what this lad has done, I think the term hero is going a bit too far. The definition in the Oxford English Dictionary for the word "hero" is "Person admired for courage". I don't think playing a few rounds of golf consitutes calling someone a hero.”