The coach of rising golf star Chris Wood says he has no idea

what his player will do next.

Bristol and Clifton Club professional Paul Mitchell was with

the Long Ashton player in the build-up to the weekend's Open,

where he stunned the golf world by recording a fifth-place

finish.

But as Wood made a triumphant return home yesterday,

Mitchell said: “I really don't know what he will do.

“He will think about what he wants this week, but the main

thing is that he decides what he wants to do, rather than what

people telling him what they can give him – he can pick and

choose.”

Wood's finish in fifth position at The Open would have

netted him a cool £180,000 if he had been a professional, but

his amateur status meant that he went home without a penny.

The young golfer drove back to Nailsea with Mr Mitchell late

on Sunday night while his parents, Richard and Sarah, stayed in

Lancashire to play in an invitation competition at Royal

Lytham, near where the Open was contested.

Mr Mitchell said: “We were a bit disappointed on Sunday

night, as we had hoped to win it, really.

“We left Royal Birkdale and were both a bit depressed that

it was all over, so went for a McDonald's and listened to our

music from the week on an iPod, discussing a few parts of his

game he can improve on.

“Chris said that his time at the Open had been

life-changing, and for him this is the start of things to come.

He had a mediocre lead, but came out and did well. He just

lapped it up, and played to the crowds.

“It was an incredible week, and both of us feel lucky to

have had the experience. But we certainly worked for it.”

Mr Mitchell revealed that while some of the other amateurs

were practising with the top professionals on the Tuesday and

Wednesday before the tournament, he and his protege were

quietly working things out on their own.

He said: “On Tuesday we played nine holes with South African

golfer David Frost, and then later went out early on our

own.

“We were just dropping the ball and practising difficult

positions, and discussed a strategy for playing the course. We

got more out of it that way, and couldn't have been any better

prepared.”

While Wood has a major career decision to make, he also has

plenty of on-course action to keep him busy.

Next week he is due to play in the 2008 English Amateur at

Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire and on Thursday he might even turn

out for his own Long Ashton Golf Club for a league game against

Lansdown.