Wood filled with pride after close call at Turnberry

By Patrick Johnston

TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) - Unheralded Briton Chris Wood produced the round of his life at the British Open on Sunday, 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.